Audit Scotland has reinforced a warning of the huge financial pressure facing Angus Council in the years head.
As councillors signed off the authority’s 2014/15 accounts, the scale of the fiscal challenge facing the body was laid bare with a stark message that a £25-million black hole remains for the longer term.
The council set its 2015/16 budget in February at £242m, as well as delivering indicative budgets for the next two years. Those require efficiency savings of £5.5m and £6.78m respectively.
The authority is in the midst of significant change through its Transforming Angus programme, which will touch every aspect of the running of the council.
It has already involved the transfer of janitors and school cleaning staff to Tayside Contracts, and next month the Angus Alive culture and leisure trust will come into place to take over the running of facilities throughout the county including museums, libraries, leisure centres and swimming pools.
Those areas are covered in the document delivered by Audit Scotland following its scrutiny of the council’s balance sheet.
One of the key messages in the Audit Scotland report stated: “Satisfactory financial management arrangements are in place. The council’s financial position is sustainable in the short term, but over the longer term it needs to reduce spending by £25m.”
At the latest full meeting of Angus Council, SNP administration finance spokesman Alex King said: “This time it’s not me telling you, it’s not (chief executive) Richard Stiff telling you it’s our auditors telling you how much we have to save over the next few years.
“Please be aware that is the scale of the problem facing us,” he added.
“Be aware of the seriousness facing not just this council, but all councils, looking toward 2019/20.
“We are going to have to make substantial changes in the way we do things over the next three to four years.”
The Audit Scotland report stated: “In common with other councils, Angus Council faces the key challenges of reducing budgets, an ageing population with higher levels of need, and the public expectation of high quality services.
“As choices on how to address funding gaps become increasingly difficult, councils will have to focus on making the very best use of all available resources and to challenge existing ways of doing things.
“A strong and effective performance management framework will be critical to the success of the council in achieving its key priorities and delivering best value.”