Council to slash 250 jobs because of budget cuts

Dumfries and Galloway Council is to cut 250 full-time jobs, as part of plans to save more than £21 million over the next year.

The council held its budget meeting today, and councillors were told the Scottish Government has "trebled the cut in our revenue grant for 2016/17 to 4.5%".

The Labour-controlled council says that if the amount of cash it received from the Scottish Government was "in line with the modest 0.7% increase in the Scottish Government’s budget from the UK Government", it would have received a funding boost of £2 million, rather than having to save £21.193 million.

It says that as well as 250 full-time jobs, "countless others" will go within organisations funded by the council.

The council also revealed that a pack of cards was used in the voting process, because of a stalemate between the SNP and the Dumfries and Galloway Council Independent Group’s budgets.

Following the vote, the Administration’s budget was agreed by a majority of councillors.

This is Council Leader Ronnie Nicholson's full statement: