Angus Council Plans and Budget Setting 2025/26

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Background

Angus Council, like all local authorities, is currently managing the most challenging financial circumstances it has ever faced due to a period of high inflation, increased demand for services, wider economic challenges and real terms reductions in its income. The Council, our staff, and partners in the Angus Health & Social Care Partnership and ANGUSalive have transformed and redesigned services to save more than £91 million (27.5%) over the last 11 years.

Making these savings has been necessary to ensure the ongoing financial viability of the Council. Delivering such savings is a significant achievement and has happened despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, a cost of living crisis and serious storms in the last few years. Independent assessment by the Accounts Commission highlights Angus Council as an organisation providing best value to local taxpayers.

Despite this, the council must still make further savings to close the budget gaps predicted for the financial year 2025/2026, and onwards.

In last year’s communications, we explained that we are at the point of closing, stopping, or changing some services. These include a range of services we do not need to provide by law as well as some we do. We know many of these services are valued by those who use them and can offer preventative solutions to stop problems escalating.

We know that this is hard to hear, and it is hard to do, but we have a finite amount of money to spend, and must legally balance our budget each year. Angus Council must therefore decide where cuts will be made.

How to get involved

Take part in our survey below (paper copies of the survey will also be available in libraries across Angus).

This will help inform the decisions Angus Council needs to make. We are asking you, our citizens, what is really important to you and what you think is really important for Angus.

We identified a number of priorities in our Council Plan which are based on the priorities in the Angus Community Plan, which sets out strategic aims for Angus to achieve the vision:

"Angus is a great place to live, work and visit"

Whilst each of these areas remains important, we would like to consult on how we might prioritise within these areas and to better understand your views.

What happens next

We will then use this feedback to inform specific proposals for service change and savings, as we work with colleagues to minimise the potentially negative impact of these changes.

The survey closes on 14 October 2024.

We'll send out updates to everyone who signs up to stay informed.

If you require a copy of the survey in a more accessible, alternative format, use our accessibility feedback form to tell us what format you need and which assistive technology you use.

Background

Angus Council, like all local authorities, is currently managing the most challenging financial circumstances it has ever faced due to a period of high inflation, increased demand for services, wider economic challenges and real terms reductions in its income. The Council, our staff, and partners in the Angus Health & Social Care Partnership and ANGUSalive have transformed and redesigned services to save more than £91 million (27.5%) over the last 11 years.

Making these savings has been necessary to ensure the ongoing financial viability of the Council. Delivering such savings is a significant achievement and has happened despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, a cost of living crisis and serious storms in the last few years. Independent assessment by the Accounts Commission highlights Angus Council as an organisation providing best value to local taxpayers.

Despite this, the council must still make further savings to close the budget gaps predicted for the financial year 2025/2026, and onwards.

In last year’s communications, we explained that we are at the point of closing, stopping, or changing some services. These include a range of services we do not need to provide by law as well as some we do. We know many of these services are valued by those who use them and can offer preventative solutions to stop problems escalating.

We know that this is hard to hear, and it is hard to do, but we have a finite amount of money to spend, and must legally balance our budget each year. Angus Council must therefore decide where cuts will be made.

How to get involved

Take part in our survey below (paper copies of the survey will also be available in libraries across Angus).

This will help inform the decisions Angus Council needs to make. We are asking you, our citizens, what is really important to you and what you think is really important for Angus.

We identified a number of priorities in our Council Plan which are based on the priorities in the Angus Community Plan, which sets out strategic aims for Angus to achieve the vision:

"Angus is a great place to live, work and visit"

Whilst each of these areas remains important, we would like to consult on how we might prioritise within these areas and to better understand your views.

What happens next

We will then use this feedback to inform specific proposals for service change and savings, as we work with colleagues to minimise the potentially negative impact of these changes.

The survey closes on 14 October 2024.

We'll send out updates to everyone who signs up to stay informed.

If you require a copy of the survey in a more accessible, alternative format, use our accessibility feedback form to tell us what format you need and which assistive technology you use.