Aberdeenshire Council savings put 150 posts at risk

Up to 150 posts could go as Aberdeenshire Council looks to make millions of pounds of savings, the local authority has warned.

The budget is due to be set next week, and the authority is proposing a possible council tax rise of 3%.

Council leader Jim Gifford said it was difficult to say what the exact impact on jobs and services would be.

However, he told BBC Scotland that the local authority would try to keep any reduction in staffing levels down.

Council papers ahead of next week's meeting state the staffing implications will be assessed over the coming months - but that "initial indications are that there will be a reduction of up to 150 full-time equivalent posts".

'Moving target'

Mr Gifford said: "We try to minimise those changes as much as we can by looking at other efficiencies before we start looking at staffing levels.

"Staff change is the last thing we obviously want to look at."

He said of the overall budget implications: "Even at this stage of the game we are not entirely sure what we are looking at.

"But it is not looking very good. We are looking at a shortfall in what we think we need to deliver services. The budget will show how we bridge that gap.

"When we are trying to hit a moving target, then there are decisions getting made on a daily basis.

"No-one will be surprised we are looking at absolutely everything across the council - there will be some changes to virtually everything."