AROUND one in 12 jobs within Falkirk Council are in jeopardy as the authority looks to make savings of £45 million over the next three years.

The cuts may lead to 100 jobs being lost in this financial year, 300 the following year and another 200 in 2018/19.

It means that some 600 posts are at risk out of a workforce of over 7000.

The Herald:

Other cost cutting measures include merging primary schools, closing community halls, putting up the price of schools meals by 44 percent and charging for home care.

Other proposals including stopping the school library service and cutting the number of support for learning assistants.

The council had already been forced to make huge savings of around £10m every year since 2008, but a spokeswoman for the local authority said, "the financial situation is now set to get even worse".

The council needs to make savings of £18.4m next year, followed by £15.2m in 2017/18 and £11.4m in 2018/19.

The Herald:

Councillor Craig Martin, leader of Falkirk Council, said: "Our aim will always be to continue to protect services to our communities, particularly the most vulnerable, however the level of pressure on our budgets over recent years will inevitably have an impact.

"As costs rise and funding is reduced, our budget gap has grown to around £45m, and that is a huge obstacle to overcome.

"This saving will have to be made over the next three years at the same time as demand for local services is increasing due to our area’s growing population.

"Every council in Scotland has to find millions of pounds worth of savings from already stretched budgets. Falkirk Council is no different and we are working hard to use every resource we have wisely and to reduce our expenditure wherever we can."

The council said it was legally required to approve an annual balanced budget and set council tax by March 2016.

A spokesman said: "Members and officers have been working together to explore all options for delivering services in different ways and balancing the budget."

No final decisions will be made until the council's budget meeting in February 2016.

The Herald:

A recent independent inspection by Audit Scotland said the council would have to make changes at a more rapid pace if it is to save the required £45m over the next three years.

A council spokesman added: "Delivering savings of this scale means that the council will need to reduce the services it provides to the public and the number of staff it employs.

"Negotiations with trade unions are well advanced.

"The council restructured earlier this year, reducing the number of departments to three, and it now has fewer senior staff, saving £240k per year.

"The council will have to make difficult decisions when it sets its budget early next year. Before any final decisions are made, savings proposals will be reviewed to see how they might affect service users, particularly those who may be more vulnerable. This information will be taken into account at the council's budget meeting in February."