33 Million of Cost/Savings Per Annum

[shetlandpeat]

Explain how Freefield fits into the Highways Budget.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

I thought they were going to cut back on grass cutting, just as much going on as usual it seems to me.

[shetlander]

Shetland has created a monster it can no longer afford to feed.

 

Agree with you entirely there - and yes, there are countless examples of how public money has been mismanaged in the past with little or nothing to show for it. The main reason the reserves are having to be plundered though is because services (and the workforce employed to provide them) have been allowed to grow almost entirely unchecked over the years to the extent that public expectations now far exceed what is affordable.

 

A number of the new councillors seem to be making the right noises about working collaboratively and making decisions that they stick to as well as getting the councils finances back on track but it remains to be seen whether (where their predecessors largely failed) they will have the guts to actually make the decisions to achieve the latter. I very much doubt that some will be able to whilst sticking to their election pledges on issues such as schools and ferries, but we will see.

 

Either way, and in the knowledge that they will still be there in just under five years time, there is now a real opportunity for them to make sensible decisions in the short term on how to cut costs and to stick to and implement them in a measured, phased manner throughout the rest of their term. I by no means envy the task ahead of them but the time has to come for hard decisions to be made before the situation turns from bad to worse.

[JustMe]

So here is my idea. Form a small committee of councillors, management and unions. Arm them with an e-mail address and a mail address and invite everyone to send them ideas for saving money and reducing expenditure. Either giving a name or as "anon" if preferred. Yes there will doubtless be some daft ideas and a smattering of "forget Mareel"s but could be some sensible things that may save anything from a few quid to a fortune.

 

If such a committee existed today I would tell them that stopping distributing black bags would be a good idea since more and more people are getting wheelie bins and the rest of us can just buy those we need.

 

Then I would ask them to consider the cost of providing wi-fi at ferry terminals. Not saying it should be done away with but the cost should be investigated and considered.

 

Staying with ferries I would ask why "children up to 19" travel for 50p on inter island ferries instead of half fare as on the buses up to 16 and then full fare. Or with some reduction with an entitlement card.

 

Might as well finish on ferries. Free trips on the ferries to Unst and Fetlar is well intentioned but should it be limited to Shetland residents.......or would the cost of charging visitors be greater than the money taken in?.

[MuckleJoannie]

Free wifi is avalable on most SIC premises. As far as I am aware the wifi will be there for the convenience of SIC employees, so it is a simple matter to add the SICGUEST user at very little cost.

[Spinner72]

^^ Exactly, the infrastructure is already there so effectively the cost is zero.

 

So here is my idea. Form a small committee of councillors, management and unions. Arm them with an e-mail address and a mail address and invite everyone to send them ideas for saving money and reducing expenditure. Either giving a name or as "anon" if preferred. Yes there will doubtless be some daft ideas and a smattering of "forget Mareel"s but could be some sensible things that may save anything from a few quid to a fortune..

 

This is exactly what does exist, at least I assume it still does, as they did a roadshow gathering ideas and distributing leaflets last year to that effect. Thats where all the "turn off streetlights" and "dont run empty ferries" suggestions came from that seemed so popular but are ultimately meaningless in real terms or just flat out misguided and would end up costing more.

 

Found it, the email address is at the bottom of the page HERE

 

The sugdestion nobody seemed to want to make, but the only one that will really have any effect upon coming close to saving 33million quid is to close schools, care centres and recreational facilities, and cut service and staff.

[trowie246]

Staying with ferries I would ask why "children up to 19" travel for 50p on inter island ferries instead of half fare as on the buses up to 16 and then full fare. Or with some reduction with an entitlement card.

 

Might as well finish on ferries. Free trips on the ferries to Unst and Fetlar is well intentioned but should it be limited to Shetland residents.......or would the cost of charging visitors be greater than the money taken in?.

 

I would imagine that the vast majority of children are travelling in a car so that's £10.00 already for car and driver. If you start charging half price for children that would be an extra £2.15 per child so for me and my husband and 3 bairns to get off the isle and back would be £20.75.

 

I'm not 100% sure but I think when they stopped charging between Unst, Yell and Fetlar they were able to get rid of a ticket collector, so if you start charging again you would need to take into account another salary.

 

I think hiking up the charges is a false economy, people who can't afford it but who want/have to stay in the isles will use the ferries less frequently or look more closely at car sharing or taking the bus. Young people will be less inclined to stay so you may be looking at depopulation or it will become more like Orkney where people have 2 cars - an old banger on the isle then travel across as foot passenger to their second car which is kept on the mainland.

[paulb]

i would guess that they are wanting to keep families on the isles. if they make it expensive they will move.

[ArabiaTerra]

I thought they were going to cut back on grass cutting, just as much going on as usual it seems to me.

 

The grasscutting budget was cut by around £20,000 this season, which cost two people their jobs. This is why the grass is no longer being picked up from many of the Council areas.

[PJ of Hildisvik]

Might see some wild flower's then.

[JustMe]

This is exactly what does exist, at least I assume it still does, as they did a roadshow gathering ideas and distributing leaflets last year to that effect. Thats where all the "turn off streetlights" and "dont run empty ferries" suggestions came from that seemed so popular but are ultimately meaningless in real terms or just flat out misguided and would end up costing more.

Not quite the same thing. I am thinking of a way for ideas to come from the staff or public including those who want to remain anonymous with the certainty that those ideas will be seen by officials, union reps and councillors.

 

Of course we need some drastic cuts but maybe the public mood towards them would be more positive if the council was seen to be looking at all ways to save money.

[MuckleJoannie]

 

I'm not 100% sure but I think when they stopped charging between Unst, Yell and Fetlar they were able to get rid of a ticket collector, so if you start charging again you would need to take into account another salary.

 

 

I recall something the same. The fares collected would be less than the salary payable for an extra crewman.

[JustMe]

Free wifi is avalable on most SIC premises. As far as I am aware the wifi will be there for the convenience of SIC employees, so it is a simple matter to add the SICGUEST user at very little cost.

Has to depend on the cost of the data transmission used by the public but of course this is what I mean by putting ideas forward. Maybe there are good reasons why they will not work but the more ideas that come forward the more chance there is of finding ways to reduce the council's overall budget.

[Guest posiedon]

MuckleJoannie

I recall something the same. The fares collected would be less than the salary payable for an extra crewman.

Why couldn't you be charged for a "through ticket" on the Yell ferry? No need for extra crew on the Fetlar or Unst ferries.

[Infiltrator]

 

The suggestion nobody seemed to want to make, but the only one that will really have any effect upon coming close to saving 33million quid is to close schools, care centres and recreational facilities, and cut service and staff.

 

Aha, the 'Elephant in the room', too many people with a vested interest makes it difficult to even discuss, let alone take some action.

 

On the last figures I saw, 33% of employed folk in Shetland worked for the council, Scottish average is just under 10%, even Orkney and the Western Isles were well below the Shetland figure.

 

Let's see if we can save money on paperclips instead..