Major capital projects will be spared the axe at tomorrow’s crunch budget meeting, Aberdeen City Council’s ruling administration revealed last night.
The city’s ruling Labour, Conservative and Independent alliance said yesterday that more than £500million was going to be pumped into the city in the next five years to “show confidence” in its economic prospects.
It is understood a final meeting of the administration group will take place today to “dot the i’s and cross the t’s” before they unveil their proposals to fill the £26million funding gap.
But the opposition SNP group said they were preparing to put forward a “radically different” budget with a focus on tourism and maintenance of council services.
Finance convener Willie Young said the administration had identified £20million of savings and that the “vast majority” would “not affect the man on the street”.
Cuts likely to go ahead are a postponement of roadworks, saving nearly £300,000, and trimming utility bills by £909,000.
Last night Mr Young said investment in the city was needed to continue to attract private sector employees to the city and maintain the oil and gas sector in Aberdeen.
He said: “We are showing confidence in the city with projects like the new AECC, investment in our school estate, art gallery, Third Don Crossing and Berryden corridor.
“We need to keep investing in the city to secure its future – it would be wrong to stop because of the cuts.
“Not only are we not cutting council jobs, but this investment will create more jobs in the private sector which benefits the city as a whole.”
Last night SNP group spokesman Graham Dickson said the group were “keeping their cards close to their chests” ahead of Thursday’s meeting.
He said: “The SNP will be putting forward a radically different budget to what we have seen in the press from the administration.
“There are items that we simply can’t agree with.
“We want to stand by business and develop the side of our tourism industry while protecting essential council services.
“While we are keeping our cards close to our chest just now I can reveal that we have an exciting and innovative budget which we will be putting forward on Thursday.”