Council asks residents about major budget cuts

The city council needs to save more than £50m in the next three years

A consultation is beginning on Aberdeen City Council's budget as the authority warns it has a £34m funding gap for the next financial year.

That figures rises to £54m over the next three years.

Aberdeen City Council, like all Scottish local authorities, is facing rising demand for its services as well as increasing costs.

It is now launching the consultation to get an understanding of how potential savings options might affect residents, and what matters most to them.

It says it is faced with changing, reducing or even stopping some services, and increasing fees and charges, potentially including council tax.

The survey on the council's website is grouped into several themed areas.

These include services for citizens and communities, culture and sport, education, and roads, waste and the environment.