Dundee City Council has refused to sugar coat “inevitable” job cuts as it attempts to slash £28 million from its budget.
The reduction in spending must be achieved within just two years in the face of what the SNP administration has described as “year-on-year UK Government austerity”.
The updated figure was revealed in a new document that will go before councillors at the end of the month and dwarfs the £22m estimate given in January.
It will mean a complete overhaul of council services and departments, new ways of working, a review of staffing levels and the disposal of council property.
Dundee City Council has pledged to do everything it can to avoid damaging public services but has not played down the “formidable” challenge it faces.
While the required cuts have yet to be identified, council finance spokesman Willie Sawers said it is “inevitable” that job losses will form part of the plan.
He admitted there was “no avoiding” redundancies in the face of such swingeing spending cuts and moreover accepted that it was becoming “increasingly difficult” to achieve redundancies voluntarily.
Since 2010, the council has delivered savings and efficiencies totalling £51m, streamlining services through the Changing for the Future Programme and seeking staff willing to leave.
Mr Sawers said Dundee is not unique as other councils, including Glasgow, Edinburgh, Falkirk and Argyll and Bute, face similar challenges.
Nonetheless, he said: “There is no way to get over the fact that having to reduce spending by this level is a daunting prospect.
“These are the most severe cutbacks we have had to make in all the years that the SNP have been in administration.
“The £28 million of cuts required represents 7% of our overall total budget. There will be pain and things will have to change.
“We will have to think outside of the box to continue delivering services.
“We have some difficult decisions to make, but I can say that our commitment to jobs will not waver.”
The cuts will not affect capital spending projects such as the V&A, the railway station or waterfront nor plans to invest in housing and the ongoing school replacement programme.
Full details of the cost-cutting plan will be made public in January.’We have to try to protect the most vulnerable’Labour group leader Kevin Keenan called on the Scottish Government to help Dundee City Council balance its books using some of its £357 million underspend from last year.
He said: “It doesn’t come as any surprise that the cuts are on their way.
“The Scottish Government does have some powers to make a difference they had a £347m underspend last year and I dare say some of that could come in the direction of local government.
“It comes on the back of health services in financial crisis in Tayside so the Scottish Government has a difficult juggling act.”
Mr Keenan added: “For a city that is desperate to attract jobs it is really bad news when the council has indicated it will lay off a number of people.
“We are trying to use all our powers as a council to attract investment and obviously the council paying people off will have a negative impact on the amount of money being spent in our shops.”
He said cuts must be targeted carefully.
“We have to try to protect the most vulnerable people,” he said.“The sad fact of life is that cracks are already beginning to show in areas such as health and social care.
“The Scottish Government is showing that their record of financial management is maybe not as good as they are trying to make out.”