Scottish councils face tougher budget decisions, warns watchdog

The Accounts Commission report looks in detail at this year’s council budgets.

Derek Yule, of the Accounts Commission, said it was getting harder for councils to do more with less.

“They have to find and then deliver significant levels of savings to address budget gaps,” he said.

“Fully engaging with local people and being clear about the different and difficult budget choices is vital, whilst understanding the impacts on the most vulnerable.

“Councils need to improve the way in which they present financial information, and do this in a clear, consistent and accessible way.”

The Accounts Commission has called on councils to increase the accessibility and transparency of publicly available budget information.

It says this will allow for improved comparison between councils, particularly around key information – including action to tackle existing and future budget gaps, and savings plans.