Aberdeenshire Council could be forced to cut up to 1,500 jobs to tackle a £58million budget shortfall over the next two years.
The local authority could also merge primary schools, increase charges, reduce opening hours, review museums and libraries – and even switch off street lights overnight in an effort to plug the shortfall.
Unions reacted by saying they were “deeply concerned” about the impact of the possible cuts.
The news comes a day after neighbouring Aberdeen City Council announced plans to cut 10% of its workforce, about 900 jobs.
Aberdeenshire Council is also proposing a 10% cut – 900 full time-equivalent posts, including teachers – or up to 1,500 jobs.
It hopes to save tens of millions of pounds across its operation over the next two years.
Councillors will discuss plans to slash £51million from the local authority’s budget over the next two years at a meeting on Thursday.
However, officers could be asked to find still more savings as the local authority is resigned to a £58million funding shortfall over the next two years.
It will not find out the scale of the cuts it will have to make until the Scottish Government announces its draft budget later this month. Proposed cuts going before councillors next week include saving £2million by merging primary schools and £400,000 by reducing the opening hours of visitor attractions and reviewing the value for money of the Archaeolink prehistory park at Oyne, near Inverurie.
“The future viability of Archaeolink is under review and the withdrawal of any future funding is a possibility,” a council spokeswoman said.
The council is also proposing to save £80,000 by reducing swimming pool opening hours, £200,000 on verge cutting and £130,000 on the maintenance of burial grounds.
A further £60,000 could be found by switching off street lights overnight in small communities, according to council officers.
Pennan Inn owner Peter Simpson said this plan may work in some hamlets but not in his village.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” he said. “It’s dangerous, especially down here, where our houses go straight down to the main road.
“Cars can drive quite fast along the road. It’s dangerous enough in the daytime, let alone in the pitch dark.
“Also, from a security aspect, a lot of people know Pennan is full of holiday homes and, with no people in them, there’s an increased opportunity for theft.
“There might be some places where it would be OK but I think it’s a bad thing here.”
Speaking at a special briefing on the proposed cuts, local authority chief Colin Mackenzie said yesterday: “It’s very easy to think that everything is going to be bleak in the future.
“We will still have a budget of more than £500million a year to invest in services in Aberdeenshire.”
The council’s head of finance, Derek Yule, added: “The exact impact on Aberdeenshire Council’s finances will be assessed once the Scottish Government announce their draft budget later this month.
“The proposals to be put before councillors outline savings of £51million over 2011-12 and 2012-13.
“Whilst the figures may appear to fall short of our mid-range financial projections of £58million, we are confident that, as we continue to be more financially prudent and efficient from now and into the future, we will be able to balance our budget.”
Scotland’s biggest teaching union said last night that 150 teaching jobs and 350 support posts could be under threat.
Aberdeenshire EIS representative Pat Flanagan said he had “serious concerns” about the impact on education of the possible cuts.
“The effect will be felt through nursery, primary, secondary and special schools,” he said.
“Pupils will be having less time with their teachers and that will have a direct impact on the quality of the teaching.”
Chairwoman of the Unison union’s Aberdeenshire branch, Kate Ramsden, said: “Aberdeenshire, like every council, has been put in a very difficult position by the unfair and unjust policies of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government at Westminster and the knock-on effects for Scottish spending.
“However, make no mistake, if 900 jobs go, people’s services will be seriously affected. Aberdeenshire was the best-performing council in Scotland last year, so we are not in this position because of waste and inefficiency.
“Why should Aberdeenshire folk pay the price for the crisis caused by the bankers?” Aberdeenshire councillor Martin Ford said if the local authority agreed to freeze council tax and other measures, it would have its government funding cut by about £10million.
If it does not agree to the freeze, it will lose about £30million.
Mr Ford said: “Far from reducing the impact of budget cuts arising from decisions at Westminster, the Scottish Government is adding cuts of its own.”