Title

FINANCE

Council considers cutting 300 staff

Hundreds of staff at East Renfrewshire Council could be axed in an attempt to close a £26m funding gap.

Hundreds of staff at East Renfrewshire Council could be axed in an attempt to close a £26m funding gap.

Although the council has already found £37m of savings since 2012, it needs to find £26m more over the next three years.

One of East Renfrewshire's key proposals to save money is to axe 300 posts — a target the council hopes to achieve without compulsory redundancies.

Council leader, Tony Buchanan, said: ‘Millions of pounds worth of efficiencies achieved through more modern ways of working have already helped to offset the impact of the savings needed on frontline services to date.

‘However, with efficiencies already maximised in a range of areas, the scope left available to find more savings by efficiencies is limited.

‘We are therefore going to have to make tough decisions about where savings can come from during our forthcoming budget cycle.'

The Scottish council will launch a public consultation on Monday on its three-year budget to 2021.

FINANCE

Fix the flawed children's funding formula

By Michael McVicker | 15 August 2025

Michael McVicker explains why the proposed children’s social care funding formula is unfit for purpose.

FINANCE

Barnet has housebuilding nailed

By Cath Shaw | 08 August 2025

Barnet is one of the few London boroughs to hit its housing growth targets and its £8bn Brent Cross Town scheme is delivering one of the most ambitious devel...

FINANCE

Shifting the presssure

By Martin Ford | 07 August 2025

With consultation set to close on the fair funding review, Martin Ford looks at the challenges faced by those tasked with ensuring the new system helps strug...

FINANCE

Politics and pragmatism

By Andy Sawford | 06 August 2025

Andy Sawford asks who really shapes local government reorganisation, and looks at what proposals are likely to succeed

Popular articles by William Eichler