Glasgow: £42m cut
GLASGOW city councillors will today be asked to approve a package of £42.5 million worth of savings.
This figure will be combined with close to £6 million which has already been sanctioned.
Among the installments to be voted on is a possible investment of £17m on problem potholes.
On this, Automobile Association president Edmund King has called on Glasgow city council’s elected members to invest in a long term strategy to solve the crisis.
He said: “There has to be a pro-active strategy in fixing this problem.
“Sometimes the holes have to be quickly filled because of bad weather but then later they should be resurfaced.
“The council need an active plan. If this is new money, it’s welcome. It’s a very deep problem.
“More money will be required to get Glasgow roads up to date. It’s a circle of decline unless it’s tackled.
“People are now suing the council for damage caused to their vehicles and this means the council also has to pay out in compensation.”
Otherwise, a £54m cuts package for the 2013-2015 budget will see social work as one of the worst areas hit — with savings of £15.2m planned — followed by education services with cuts of £11.3m.
Numbers of teaching staff trained to provide support for pupils with additional learning needs will be reduced, while the numbers of teachers in both nurseries and primaries will be “reviewed”.
Cleansing staff in schools will also be reduced while the price of school lunches will rise.
Despite these cuts, budget plans include an £80m investment in GCC’s primary school estate, £11m for child care and a commitment for two new care homes.
A total of five bus lane cameras will be installed across Glasgow in a money maker for the council.
The budget plan allows for a further council tax freeze in 2013-14.
Council treasurer Paul Rooney said: “Our budgets are under intense pressure, but we can’t afford to think small.
“This is a time to focus on our priorities and invest in our people — in education, in communities and in infrastructure.
“We are able to do that because of our effective and prudent stewardship of this council in recent years.”
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Weather for Glasgow
Tuesday 18 June 2013
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: West
