Years of frustration redden Steve Whyte’s face as he tells us it’s “put up or shut up time”.
A towering figure, colour washes down from his temple as he fronts up to the long-running cynicism which meets much of Aberdeen City Council’s work.
A new survey, hoped to give insight into what Aberdeen’s citizens demand from next year’s budget, is hoped to address that.
City resources director Whyte tells us: “It’s easy to write into The P&J’s letters page saying: ‘You shouldn’t do this or you should do that’. This really is all about that cynicism.
“This is put up and shut up time. If that’s what you’re saying, here’s your chance.”
‘No easy options’: Have your say as millions more stands to be cut from Aberdeen’s budget
But he, and chief finance officer Jonathan Belford sitting to his left, hope to gauge the feeling of far more than the loyal band of Granite City sceptics.
The Marischal College chiefs want thousands, from all walks of life, to outline how the council should spend their money.
Survey respondents face a tough time spreading 100 points over 17 different areas of council work to indicate which they value most.
It comes as bosses make clear that there will be “no easy options” to make savings at March’s annual budget meeting.
The pair have given The P&J a rare interview as they launch a consultation ahead of next year’s budget.
Feedback will be put to councillors in August before another survey puts fleshed-out budget possibilities to the public test.
Final say will rest with councillors meeting to balance the city budgets next spring.
But the Aberdeen budget survey will leave them in no doubt as to public feeling on which services they value and which – if any – they can do without.
March’s Aberdeen budget met with public fury
It has been a bruising few months for Aberdeen City Council.
Communities have raged against decisions taken in this year’s budget, in March.
Libraries and swimming pools closed. Funding for music charity Big Noise Torry was slashed.
With the poll, top brass want to give the public a voice in the formative stages of the budget setting.
In doing so, they will be hoping for fewer displays of objecting public voice on the Town House steps in the months following next year’s vote.
Aberdeen public services threatened by events hundreds of miles away
Inflation, continuing to be impacted by events far from Aberdeen’s golden sands, makes financial forecasting difficult.
Nationwide assumptions around prices falling and nationally negotiated pay settlements are some uncontrollables affecting the ledger.
Events like Wagner’s march on Moscow last weekend add to the things on a “global scale that we can’t predict and have no control over”, says Mr Whyte.
Councillors agreed cuts of £46.6m to balance the books in March 2023.
At that time, Mr Belford forecast the financial black hole to be plugged next year at around £35m.
But as prices continue upwards, it is feared to be closer to a gaping £40m.
‘Are Aberdeen citizens actually interested paying a bit more to preserve services?’
When taking control of the council in 2022, the SNP and Liberal Democrats agreed to consult the public on the budget process.
For years, long and scary lists full of options like an end to park maintenance, cuts to school budgets and closures of facilities have been released with little context, only days before the final vote on the budget.
But the new administration’s approach – combined with continued stickiness of inflation – has made officials far more candid about the potentially potholed road ahead.
Chief finance officer Belford says: “What we are interested in is knowing whether or not citizens of Aberdeen are actually interested in preserving and continuing services and, as a result, in paying a bit more in council taxes at this time.”
Have your say: Yet another council tax rise in Aberdeen?
In March, councillors agreed to a 5% council tax rise. Mr Belford had recommended a 10% hike “because of the scale with which it would bring additional income in”.
He admits it would have had consequences for those who would have to pay it.
But he adds: “It’s fair to say that there are no easy options and looking at last year’s choices, none were straightforward.”
Putting that 10% increase forward to councillors in March, his forecast suggested a 6% rise in 2024.
Now, given the unclarity about the size of the shortfall, he won’t be drawn on the potential bump on household bills next April.
The alternative: Uncut grass, potholed roads and bigger school classes in exchange for council tax freeze
Matter-of-factly, Mr Whyte acknowledges there is an alternative to hiking rates for residents.
And the budget survey will be a way of gleaning public feeling on that in Aberdeen.
“We assume everybody wants all the services we currently provide,” he adds.
“But actually, maybe the choice is to freeze council tax and people tell us they are quite happy with the fact that services will no longer be provided.
“They might rather there is more money in their pocket. Even if that means they have to look out and see grass hasn’t been cut, or potholes, or unlit street lights or bigger class sizes.”
He adds: “That is what this process is designed to to try and tease out.
“It is for the general populace of Aberdeen to understand if they want to make these choices, there are consequences of doing that.
“What is it you’re going to cut to be able to allow to happen?”
Aberdeen budget survey: ‘Here’s your chance’…
Surveying public opinion ahead of crunch decisions is nothing new.
But it is a change for Aberdeen City Council compared to recent budgets.
You can find out more about how to take part with Ben Hendry’s step-by-step guide.
And you can access the survey here.
