Savings must be made, warns Moray's top civil servant

A WARNING about the financial situation has been issued to Moray’s councillors by the local authority’s chief executive.

Roddy Burns took the highly unusual step at this afternoon’s meeting of the full council.

He first handed to each member a copy of the warning. Then, once the meeting began, he read out its contents.

Mr Burns stated that the predicted hole in the council budget for next February is larger than the reserves of cash that it holds.

He added: "Although work to identify further savings has begin, so far these fall significantly short of the sums required.

"In the absence of an agreed plan to reduce spending to an affordable level it is vital that only essential additional expenditure is agreed."

Moray Council spends approxiately £250million a year.

In last February's budget savings of about £6million were announced.

It is estimated that a further £10million of savings will be needed next year in order to balance the books.