33 Million of Cost/Savings Per Annum

[icepick239]

This could increase by another (one-off charge) of 5-6 Million, if the LPA wins its case against the SIC....

This being for the Bressay Bridge that no-one has ever seen, or will ever see

[George.]

Is that the yearly or bi-yearly, or possibly six-monthly one-off payment that will probably double, or even treble in cost next time around coz it ain't finished yet?

[tirvaluk]

I thought the SIC set by the money for the LPA just in case they lost the case.

[icepick239]

Yes, you could be correct, but I don't think it is part of the 33 Million to be cut....

Setting a figure aside is completely different from cutting costs.....

[Infiltrator]

Anyone else following the live coverage on the Shetland News website? - it makes fascinating reading.

 

Grampian News is reporting a possible 1,000 SIC job cuts - and the councillors are discussing increasing the cost of renting the Town Hall from £40....

 

Micromanagement on an epic scale, at the rate they're going they'll still be there this time next week.

[MuckleJoannie]

It's because renting out the Town Hall is something they can understand!

[fusion]

Maybe every council employee that gets paid say over 60k could loss 5k in there wage, this 5k would keep all the lowpaid staff that they are targeting in the cuts being proposed

[Ally]

Maybe every council employee that gets paid say over 60k could loss 5k in there wage, this 5k would keep all the lowpaid staff that they are targeting in the cuts being proposed

 

Here here!

[hazyday83]

Isn't it incredible the council is cutting care to the elderly when you see the pictures of them in their council chamber what is the average age? I think they would need to seriously consider their short term future care!

 

Gritting paths in Lerwick surely is a 'nice to have' the man going round with his mini gritter. Here our gritter drives closer to the path and it is job done!

Put schools in control of their own budget and tell every school to find a 3% saving within it's own costs.

make the spongers of the system sitting rent free in their homes get off their arses and contribute.

 

[Para Handy]

Why anyone is surprised! That they want to shut schools again. They need to pack as many pupils into the old Anderson High! Just to justify overcrowding it’s a wonder they are not shutting the Mid Yell Junior High as well.

That would be just like the Imbecile’s in our Town Hall.

But they can find money for I pads

All needed to justify the Taj Mahal that is the new School in Lerwick. I am assuming that no decision has been done on the name of the new School ? I was thin king a good name would be the Windmill Huggers White Elephant.

“Primary schools in Olnafirth, Cullivoe, Burravoe, Skeld, Sandness, North Roe and Urafirth are also back on the hit listâ€

Oh! Why not just move all School Kids from all-over Shetland to Lerwick.

“Now the council is proposing to save £2 million a year by cutting back those new terms and conditions agreed in 2009â€

How about doing away with councillors expense’s and they have to work for the minimum wage.

“Introducing car park charges in Lerwickâ€

“Car park charges “I’m willing to bet that all councillors will be exempt

“Christmas trees in Lerwick every Decemberâ€

Well I saw no Scrooge on any of the ballot papers

“Closing the town’s Free field Centreâ€

Maybe they could move them to the Town Hall.

They could no worse than what’s there already.

“Other major savings in children’s services would come from a review of additional support needsâ€

So disadvantaged kids will get less help, they will just have enough knowledge to become a Shetland Councillor.

“Winter gritting of roadsâ€

I heard this when I was working for the council 12 years ago along with just a driver no crewman

Health and safety is ignored when it suits them.

“Closing rural public toiletsâ€

So they can find money for Ipads for themselves! But not Ipotty’s for the public

[Kavi Ugl]

Maybe every council employee that gets paid say over 60k could loss 5k in there wage, this 5k would keep all the lowpaid staff that they are targeting in the cuts being proposed

 

That's actually the best suggestion I've seen so far. Perhaps every employee on £60,000 or above should loose £10k and every employee on £45,000-£60k should loose £5k?.

 

The meeting yesterday was a total farce and just shows that the councillors and officials are still not grasping the fact/nettle that their own over-bloated ranks will have to be cut to balance the books.

 

As I read the Shetland News feed yesterday, some of what was being debated for cuts left me not knowing whether to laugh or cry. Closing the Viking Bus Station, closing toilets, and cutting street cleaners, meals on wheels, the Freefield centre and reducing winter gritting?. Well, there's the big spenders....

 

The mantra at the beginning was that they would do their best to protect frontline services but that's exactly what's being hit and hit the hardest.

 

The above just shows that they will sacrifice anything to protect their own over-staffed offices and services.

 

Shame on you councillors and officials

[Guest posiedon]

[Frankie]

That's actually the best suggestion I've seen so far. Perhaps every employee on £60,000 or above should loose £10k and every employee on £45,000-£60k should loose £5k?.

 

I'm not paid anything like those two wage brackets but I reckon I've had around a 10% cut following single status, and I reckon there will be another 5 to 10 % cut to come based on the changes to terms and conditions being rumoured. That doesn't take into account inflation at around 5% at the same time as a pay freeze for a few years.

So your wish for that kind of pay cut for SIC staff could be reality.

[Spinner72]

^^ Very true.

 

There is another possibility though. That is that a review of single status could actually increase the wage bill.

 

Wages have been frozen more or less since single status was introduced, so if they are being re-assessed now then inflation will have to be added.

 

Also, with the deletion of vacant posts and retiring employees not being replaced, at least some employees must have greater responsibilities than before so could (should) find themselves re-graded to a higher salary.

 

 

Whatever happens, looking at the wage bill as a total amount without considering the *number* of employees, is it appears they are doing, is fundamentally flawed from the get-go.

[Kavi Ugl]

@Frankie, it's not that I'm trying to stick the boot into people but why is it that the poorest paid are having every last penny pinched from them while those on mega bucks seem to be untouchable?. Because that's what's happening in this current debacle.

 

I happen to know a few of the guys(manual workers) who are at the lowest end of the SIC pay scale and what they currently earn(£250 per week) and are facing if either hours or pay is cut is a disgrace.

 

They told me that they only recieved a rise of a few pence an hour(maybe a fiver a week) from Single Status. Also, apparantly pre-SS they could claim for mileage when travelling to/from work which helped pay for their fuel but because this was cut under SS they now have to fork out that money from their pittance of a wage.....which leaves them literally poorer.

 

Based on what I'm seeing it's the poorest of the poor who are heading for "poverty/hardship by a thousand cuts....".