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Moray Council is looking for our help in managing planned and proposed cuts to services.

As reported on insideMORAY on 28 September, the Council has already identified a number of savings it intends to make, and has now published a booklet setting out the details of these.

In his foreword, Leader of the Council, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, states: “Detailed in this booklet are savings which have been identified so far, to help narrow the gap. There are some savings which we’ll be implementing immediately, so we can begin to make savings straight away, and others which will be brought in over time. Some we will be engaging with the public and various groups on and I urge you to take part in these discussions so that we can have an honest dialogue about the financial challenges we are facing.”

The booklet provides the context for a series of public drop-in events being rolled out across Moray from Monday, 15 October.

The specific budget cuts the Council wants to discuss with the public are:

Reducing opening hours for out-of-Elgin access points
Reducing street sweeping services
Reducing grounds maintenance for older cemeteries
Reducing grass-cutting on rural pathways including Speyside Way
Reducing grass-cutting, litter collection & shrub bed maintenance in public parks
Reducing library opening hours
Closing Elgin Community Centre, Cooper Park Bowling Pavilion and Falconer Museum, with Community Asset Transfer of these considered a possibility

The key question Moray Council is asking is: “Can you help us make this work?”

Drop-in sessions will take place between 10am and 7pm in the following locations:

Aberlour Library Mon 15 Oct
Forres Library Tue 16 Oct
Buckie Library Wed 17 Oct
Fochabers Library Mon 22 Oct
Elgin Library Tue 23 Oct
Lossiemouth Library Wed 24 Oct
Keith Library Thu 25 Oct

The information booklet is available on http://www.moray.gov.uk/downloads/file121702.pdf