Efforts to balance Argyll and Bute’s budget are set to be boosted by £800,000 – thanks to industrial action by teaching staff.
A report reveals that teachers’ industrial action resulted in reduced staffing costs, with a senior official saying the plan is for the cash to be added to the council’s general funding pot for the next financial year.
The budget for 2024-25 will be set in February.
The saving, along with plans to replace the technological equipment in the council chamber at Lochgilphead, was discussed at a full council meeting last week.
In the report issued before the meeting, executive director Douglas Hendry said: “In 2022/23 there was a reduction in staffing costs due to industrial action which impacted on the salary costs and related expenditure by the education service resulting in an underspend of £800,000.
“We propose to earmark this underspend to use as a one-off saving within the 2024-25 budget.
“This would allow the service to make a significant saving without impacting on the quality of education provision.”
The council is currently running a ‘budget simulator’ consultation through its website, allowing residents to express their views on priorities for setting the 2024/25 budget.
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