Changes to school day and other cuts on the table to balance budget

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Changes to the school day, Christmas lights, staff reductions and cuts at recycling centres are all on the table for when it comes to West Lothian Council’s money saving measures.The potential changes are all under discussion as the local authority attempts to balance the books and plug a £47.1 million gap.A public consultation which ends on November 20 aims to get feedback on how to reduce spending, alter local services and address the council’s shortfall.Further proposals include changes to school transport and winter maintenance of roads, introduction of charges for household garden waste collections, reviewing fees for planning advisory services, maximising developer contributions and reviewing rents and fees for the council’s commercial properties and increasing Council Tax.West Lothian Council faces a budget gap of £47.1m between 2023 and 2028 caused by increasing costs and a rising population, combined with insufficient levels of government grant funding.The measures have been developed by senior council officers.Once the public consultation closes, councillors will have a chance to consider feedback and make a final decision in early 2023, when the budget for 2023/24 is set and the Council Tax level is agreed.West Lothian Council Chief Executive Graham Hope said: “In preparation for the challenges ahead, we want to work with you – our community and partners – in shaping the future of council services.“Your feedback will be used to help us become more sustainable, address the funding gap and meet the challenges ahead.”All the budget savings measures can be viewed online or read inside the council’s newspaper, Bulletin.