Scottish Borders Council cuts budget gap by £6m

SBC continues to experience unprecedented financial challenges on a scale which have not been experienced before. But members of the council’s Executive Committee were informed that progress was being made, as they considered an update on the authority’s General Revenue Fund Budget for 2024/25.

Unfunded financial pressures have been reduced from £10.7m at the start of the financial year to £4m by the end of September. That has been achieved in part through a discretionary spend freeze, with communications to all staff, budget holders and senior managers to ensure that, wherever possible, spend is “stopped, reduced or delayed”.

Councillor Leagh Douglas, portfolio holder for finance, said: “Substantial management actions have been implemented and continue to be explored to reduce the spending in the second half of the financial year.

“The aim as always is to ensure the council balances the revenue budget, a goal it has successfully achieved for more than a decade. At the beginning of quarter one we were facing potential pressure of £10.7m; as of September 30, it has improved to an unfunded pressure of £4m.

“Whilst this is still absolutely a concern, and there’s more work to do, it marks a significant improvement.”