A single street light flickers and finally goes out in any Aberdeen street you’d like to imagine.
It might just be left like that.
And elsewhere, grass could be left uncut, potholes only fixed when they reach a certain “criteria”, more libraries closed and city pupils could be taught in larger classes.
Council bosses warn these are some of the realities people could have to get used to as they dread inevitable cuts in the years to come.
‘Probably getting to a stage where you have 11 other street lights…’
“A lot of the challenges that we hear from the public are around (this kind of) things,” resources director Steve Whyte tells The P&J.
The top-ranking figure is meeting us to describe the massive challenges facing Aberdeen City Council in the years to come.
“They will say: ’11 of my street lights are working but one isn’t. Well, they don’t tell us 11 are working.
“They just say one’s out and you need to come and repair it.”
But, as the cash-strapped council works towards balancing the books next March, the accountants are tussling with hard truths.
“Actually,” Mr Whyte sighs, “We are probably getting to a stage where you’ve got 11 other lights…”
Public to have say with Aberdeen budget consultation
These types of decisions – which public services are to diminish with lesser funding – will be taken next March.
Before that, the public is being given a say on what they want to protect.
The grim proposition in this first public consultation is weighing up what they care most about – forcing them to leave other services with little or no cash in the council’s online simulator.
In March, city councillors once again faced cutting multi-millions from its yearly budgets.
Tens of millions more will have to be slashed next spring.
Continuing inflation means it could be north of the £35 million forecasted only four months ago.
Various factors, such as ongoing ramifications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, could tighten belts further.
Phase 1 of Aberdeen budget consultation ends on July 31
What is certain, though, is that without additional money from the Scottish Government, unpopular decisions loom.
Unpopular decisions on top of unpopular decisions.
Already the local authority faces a court battle over the closure of libraries and a swimming pool, as the axe fell in March.
Throughout this month, the public are being given the chance to influence decision-making.
Online until July 31, they can use the simulator to give weight to the public services they value most.
You can read our step-by-step guide to the online process here.
In today’s editions of The Press And Journal and the Evening Express you will find a paper copy too. Everyone should have the opportunity to take part.
A second consultation, with fleshed-out budget possibilities like whether the public would stomach a council tax hike to maintain services, will come later in the year.
Councillors will be presented with public opinion before setting the budget for next year.
No new council cash expected to help struggling Aberdeen
But the direction of travel is not promising.
“The Scottish Government themselves are saying it’s unlikely that local government is going to be prioritised, that we’re going to receive an inflationary increase in the amount we receive,” chief finance officer Jonathan Belford said.
“As a consequence of that, we can forecast that things won’t get much better over the medium term.
“As a result, we should expect that the gap between our income and expenditure is going to rise.
“It’s not about just changing small things. We are in a position where we have to change some of those big things.”
Risk of ‘detrimental impact’ on the lives of those living in Aberdeen
There is still some hope that a joined up message from the “local government family” outlining the impact of further cuts might get through to ministers.
Mr Whyte says: “It is getting the analogies across.
“It’s saying it will mean we’re going to change the criteria before we repair a pothole.
“Or we just will not cut grass, or provide only one library, or will increase class sizes.”
He adds: “Hopefully it can influence ministers to think there should be more money coming to councils because otherwise there will be a detrimental impact on people’s lives.
“If we don’t get the level of funding to continue to maintain things then part of the phase two consultation is making people understand that the level of services are going to have to reduce.
“Then, it’s which ones.”
You can take part in the consultation here.
