Dundee City Council could have to make savings of up to £14.7 million to achieve a balanced budget in the next financial year.
A report to be considered by the policy & resources committee on Monday December 6 also advises that the council would meet on February 24 2022 to set the council’s revenue budget and council tax for 2022/23.
Councillors will be told that the local authority is facing a significant challenge to deliver a balanced budget in 2022/23.
This comes against a backdrop of significant risk and uncertainty around the continuing impact of Covid-19, Brexit, government grant support, pay awards and inflation.
The report states: “There is a real risk that the actual grant reductions could be more severe than those currently being assumed.”
Depute policy & resources convener and finance spokesperson Cllr Willie Sawers said: “There are a number of options we will need to consider, which includes the prospect of a rise in council tax to bring down savings.
“We are facing a unique position and the council is working hard to limit the impact on services to the people of Dundee.
“I will be watching the Scottish budget closely on December 9 and a further report will come before councillors in January outlining our actual grant settlement.
“These are tough times, and we will no doubt have to take tough decisions.”
Councillors will hear that the current estimate of savings required to achieve a balanced budget in 2022/23 is in the range £10.4m to £14.7m.
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
