Several Dundee leisure venues have been saved from the threat of closure – for now – after the council’s budget proposals were unveiled.
The local authority’s SNP administration will dip into reserves of more than £6 million to save the likes of Caird Park golf courses and Broughty Castle from immediate closure.
But ruling councillors say their £620,000 investment in keeping the facilities open will happen “while consultation on various service proposals takes place”.
It comes after the closures of the venues – along with Mills Observatory and two libraries – were among a raft of proposals to help the council plug a financial gap of about £24 million.
SNP leader John Alexander has also confirmed controversial parking charges mooted for Broughty Ferry will not go ahead.
There will also be no cuts to school crossing patrollers, and bin collections will remain the same.
Council tax will be frozen.
Dundee City Council administration reveals how it will plug £24m budget gap
The council plans to find savings or generate extra income in the following ways:
- £11m in savings already identified by council departments – the biggest of which is a cut in teacher numbers (£1.9m)
- £2.5m in extra income including through a rise in parking charges and other fees
- The use of £6.6m in Covid reserves
- £400,000 from cuts to areas like the council’s marketing budget and a reduction in payments to some third-party organisations
- £3.4m in Scottish Government cash to fund the council tax freeze
The SNP says its budget will also “add support for the most vulnerable in the city” with an extra £500,000 to support foodbanks and food larders to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.
Asked whether this year’s investment in Leisure and Culture Dundee may simply delay the closures of venues, Mr Alexander told The Courier he could not give a guarantee.
Council leader ‘confident’ closures of leisure and culture venues can be avoided
He said: “The budget is only for the year 2024/25 as we only receive year-to-year funding from Scottish Government so to be fair, that is always the case.
“We don’t know what the budget position will be in 12 months’ time and with the added uncertainty of the general election, it’s all up in the air.
“I can’t guarantee anything budget-wise because 83% is decided at a national level.
“However, I’m confident that through the work we’ve asked officers to do to maximise usage, look at sponsorship and alternative funding, alternative delivery models etc. that we can avoid closure.
“Closure should always be the absolutely last resort and plugging the gap for the year ahead gives us the space to work on the problem.”
Mr Alexander says other areas of investment for the council in the year ahead – aided by the use of reserves – include £160,000 for “economic opportunities and to support events”, £2 million for children’s services including residential care placements, and £200,000 to improve the city’s environment.
He will also use more than £3.1m to protect other “vital” services.
He added: “Our budget delivers the best possible outcomes for the city during this UK-wide public funding crisis, but things must change.
“I want to see new, growing investment in our city’s services and we need the resources to do that.
‘Reserves are there to deal with emergencies’
“The SNP in Dundee has always built sustainable budgets and that means we are able to better balance our budget in comparison to some.
“Reserves are there to deal with emergencies and as such, the SNP group will be using more than £6m of reserves to protect services and continue our work to improve the city.
“I’m certain people will be happy to hear of what won’t be happening, as much as what will.”
Councillors will meet on Thursday to approve their budget proposals, where other political groups will also set out their ideas.
Conversation