NORTH Ayrshire Council's bleak financial outlook over the next three years has been laid bare - with dozens of teacher posts potentially facing the chop, along with library and leisure facility closures.
The local authority has called a special meeting next week as elected members face up to the prospect of having to slash school budgets, impose council tax rises and introduce parking charges.
Frontline services are almost certain to be affected by the "significant savings" required by the council to address an expected budget gap of £28.5 million between 2025/26 and 2027/28.
Including monetary pressures from the health and social care partnership (HSCP) - described as a "significant risk to the financial sustainability" of the council - the anticipated shortfall stands at more than £46m.
A programme of community consultation is now set to get under way next week, with the council stating that no final decisions will be taken until the authority meets to set its budget in February next year.
The Scottish budget is due to be published in December and NAC said that the settlement will likely present "an acute financial challenge" to the council, which will require elected members to "consider difficult choices".
Among the savings proposals are the potential closures of six libraries, including those in Dalry, Beith, Saltcoats and Dreghorn.
The Arran Outdoor Education Centre - which has previously been saved from the axe after public outcry - could also shut, while the countryside rangers at Eglinton Park could be removed and the community garden may be closed.
Other possible savings outlined in a report prepared for next week's meeting include: reducing the frequency of purple and blue bin collections, from every three weeks to every four weeks; introducing an annual fee for garden waste collection (£50); parking charges at council-owned car parks, including three in Irvine, two in Kilwinning, and two in Saltcoats; and a five per cent council tax increase next year, along with a further three per cent rise in each of the following two years.
It is also suggested that up to 90 teacher posts could be removed from primary and secondary schools from 2025-2027, while the council could halve its current funding contribution towards the eight campus police officers in the area.
The budget for pupil support assistants could also be slashed, while school crossing patrollers may be removed entirely and staff redeployed elsewhere.
Posts could be cut from music and psychology services at schools, a 100 per cent council tax premium might be brought in for second homes, and a tourist visitor levy may be introduced.
Planned consultations with residents and communities are due to start on Thursday, October 10, with details on how people can participate to be shared next week.
Council leader Marie Burns said: “It is important to stress that no decisions have yet been taken and nothing will be decided until all councillors meet next year to set the budget.
“It’s no secret that all public sector organisations are facing difficult financial decisions – we are no different.
“We have a legal duty to set a balanced budget so it is likely that all councillors in North Ayrshire will face difficult decisions next year.
“Council officers have drawn up a series of areas in which we will engage with residents and seek their views. This will help inform future service provision and the setting of the council’s budget in February 2025.
“First and foremost in our minds throughout this process will be our commitment to protect and support our communities across North Ayrshire to the very best of our ability.”
North Ayrshire's Labour group have slammed the SNP-led administration for "destroying the council's finances" over their two years in power.
Group leader Joe Cullinane said: “As a consequence they are now looking to destroy your local services too.
“Savage cuts to community facilities, that Ccuncillors previously rejected, look to be back on the table.
“Town centre parking charges and a £50 charge to collect brown bins were overwhelmingly rejected but are also now back.
“We warned the SNP they were wasting vast amounts of taxpayers’ money, and we are now seeing the impact of their financial incompetence.
“£12.6m of taxpayers' money has been spent and all we have in return is the most horrific budget proposals North Ayrshire has ever seen, with previously rejected cuts coming back.
“We argued that the £12.6m should have been invested to make the council more financially sustainable and improve our communities, but SNP councillors wouldn’t listen.
“The SNP claimed using this one-off money would buy them time to ‘transform’ how the council works and delivers services.
"Their decision will certainly lead to transformation – sadly that transformation will be the council tearing the fabric of society apart.”
What cuts are being proposed?
A number of cuts are being brought to the table, before consultation is completed ahead of next year's budget vote.
These could have a severe impact on a range of local services as the council looks to balance the books in future.
Car parking charges
Amongst the suggestions is the introduction of car parking charges in council-owned car parks in North Ayrshire.
The move was first brought to the table pre-Covid, under the Labour-led council, but was voted down in September 2022 after the SNP took control.
The move is now back on the table, and is estimated to recoup more than half-a-million pounds next year if introduced.
The proposed tariffs, which would come into play across a number of car parks, would be: £1.50 for up to one hour, £2 for two hours of parking and four hours would cost £3.50.
The introduction of parking permit charges has also been suggested for various areas across the region.
Closure of the Arran Outdoor Centre
The potential closure of the Arran Outdoor Centre is another issue which was brought to the table in a previous years.
The idea was mooted before a vote was taken on the 2023/24 budget, causing mass public outcry.
The closure was never finalised but is back amongst the suggestions brought forward for future savings - of around £150,000 next year.
The council says that proposals for any alternative use of this facility, should a future decision to close be taken, can be gathered as part of the budget engagement activity, including any potential commercial opportunities.
Bin collections and garden waste collection charges
Proposals to charge £50 annually for the collection of garden waste bins from households were voted down as recently as this year's budget.
However, the suggestion has been brought back once again - to amass savings close to £600,000.
A further review is also planned for the current collections of purple and blue bins (for glass, cans, plastics, paper and cardboard) - which are collected every three weeks at present.
This could be reduced to a frequency of every four weeks - to produce future savings of £300,000 annually.
The closure of six local libraries
This year's budget already included cuts to library services, however, more are suggested to help balance the books.
While last time around it was a "re-design", closures are on the table this time around.
The libraries in Skelmorlie, Fairlie, Dalry, Beith, Saltcoats and Dreghorn all face the axe if the cuts are imposed.
This would allow savings of £160,000 in the next financial year.
School cuts - including crossing guards and teachers
A number of savings are proposed across North Ayrshire's schools - impacting a variety of educational resources.
The largest saving, of nearly £2m, is planned by "realigning" the level of teaching resources locally.
In terms of teachers, it is suggested that a reduction in numbers to the tune of 50 staff members would not impact the teacher-to-pupil ratio in North Ayrshire negatively for the next school year.
Thereafter, a reduction of a further 20-40 teachers could be seen in 2026/27.
Also affecting education would be a further realignment of pupil support assistants in schools.
These staff members currently provide a range of support to children and young people to enable them to participate in education and learning.
They support pupils with their emotional and behavioural needs, literacy and numeracy development and health/disability needs.
A cut in hours provisions for these assistants is proposed - which would reduce paid hours by the equivalent of eight full time roles.
School crossing patrollers could also be slowly phased out - after positions were axed at some schools in earlier years.
It is planned that all posts in this position which are currently vacant are removed, and any posts currently filled which become vacant are not replaced in future.
However, the report states that the "maximum realisable saving would be to remove this service in its entirety and redeploy staff elsewhere within the council".
Council tax increase
After a council tax freeze this year, thanks to additional funding provided by the Scottish Government, it is not proposed that this is the case again next time around.
An increase of five per cent across the board is suggested, which would provide more than £3m of additional funding to the council.
KA Leisure
Another area for potential savings relates to KA Leisure and a review of their services.
It is proposed that the organisation reviews its current usage of facilities and associated costs and develops proposals for new opening hours on a site by site basis.
The proposal also involves a full review of the current pricing structure for pitch hire, swimming and ice skating.
Any proposed rise in pricing structure is to be mitigated for those facing financial difficulties through the ongoing delivery of programmes such as access plus - offering reduced costs for those on low incomes and specific benefits.
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