home : announcements : Vital services for children, the elderly and communities saved
Vital services for children, the elderly and communities saved
 |
Vital services in South Lanarkshire have been saved from the axe in an across-the-board £17.5million savings package that will see the council move forward with a balanced budget.
Proposals to cancel existing arrangements for school transport, warden cover at sheltered complexes and the care of gardens scheme were dropped from the cuts.
Provision of fruit has been retained and revised to the national priority of fruit three days a week for Primary 1 and 2 pupils, as part of the Hungry for Success initiative. Water will still be available for children in schools.
Leader of South Lanarkshire Council, Councillor Eddie McAvoy, said: "We have looked long and hard at the way we deliver services, what we deliver and the best way forward with a tight budget.
"This package achieves a balanced budget in South Lanarkshire and allows us to move forward to meet our priorities."
Waste uplifts will remain free as will South Lanarkshire Leisure charges for under-16s sports clubs and teams and the over-60s.
No charges for under-16s teams will encourage young people to embrace the many opportunities awaiting them at the International Children's Games coming to Lanarkshire in 2011.
There will be no increase in charges for school meals, community alarms or the council's frozen meals service.
Meals-on-wheels will continue, public toilets will remain open, Christmas grants to older people’s lunch clubs will stay as will support for town twinning.
Providing Christmas trees in towns and villages throughout South Lanarkshire will continue, as will financial support for gala days and sports councils.
Around £5m of savings initially proposed have been dropped from the overall budget for 2010/2011.
At a special Executive Committee meeting today councillors unanimously approved a savings package designed to protect frontline services.
South Lanarkshire's priorities are to:
- continue the schools modernisation programme;
- develop services for older people;
- improve the roads network;
- improve the quality, access and availability of housing;
- promote sustainable development;
- support the local economy by providing the right conditions for growth, improving skills and employability;
- partnership working, community leadership and engagement;
- performance management and improvement
- ensure the efficient and effective use of resources
smallSouthLanarkshire Council.
Comment on this story
