FOR the second successive year, the recession and particularly the paralysis affecting house building has hit Scottish Borders Council's planning and economic development.
Last year the department’s income from fees for planning and building warrant applications fell by more than £500,000. Despite a budget adjustment to allow for this downturn, it is expecting its income to fall by a further £135,000 in 2010-11.
Its
role in stimulating economic regeneration has been enhanced with the allocation of £125,000 to establish a grant/loan scheme to help local businesses.
SBC leader David Parker said: “Even though we are coming out of recession, companies still need help.”
To pay for that initiative and absorb the loss in income, the department is looking to make £252,000 in efficiency savings.
This will largely be met by the non-filling of vacant posts in the coming year, including two in business services, one in economic development and four in planning and building standards, including a senior planning officer and a building standards surveyor.
The department, now centralised in Newtown, will have a total revenue budget of £2.5million and, although there will be no service cuts, further savings of £44,000 are anticipated from the managed reduction of overtime, travel and reprographic costs.
