Democracy Spraffa

Item 13 Appendix 4

West Dunbartonshire Council · 18 December 2024
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 18 December 2024 and its agenda

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Page 1

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4
MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25
Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer
Budgeted Amount
£000 
Projection of Total
Saved £000 
Projection of Total
Not Saved £000 Comment
December 2023 Management Adjustments
1
Remove a 1.0 FTE vacant post from the Facilities Management
team with service delivery being maintained through new
structure with increased number of team leaders CCF09 A Graham 36                              36                              -                                 Complete
2
Remove two vacant posts in the Communications team which will
result in campaign activity being on digital platforms only, minimal
design activity and less capacity for events CCF10 A Graham 50                              50                              -                                 Complete
3
Reduces the budget that funds furniture for temporary
accommodation from £1,065 per property to £1,000 per property HE07 P Barry 16                              16                              -                                 Complete
4
Rightsize ICT Budgets to better reflect expected costs for GIS
software and general ICT inflationary pressures PT01 V Rogers 46                              46                              -                                 Complete
5
Reflect reduction in employer NI/Pension contributions through
implementing VivUp Employee Benefits PT02 Shared 30                              30                              -                                 Complete
6
Restrict choice in office equipment to pre-agreed catalogue
items/amounts. PT05 Shared 10                              10                              -                                 Complete
7 Reduction in Mobile Phone usage for Council owned phones PT06 Shared 22                              22                              -                                 Complete
8
Reduce the Council’s training budget, retaining budget to cover
essential corporate requirements PT07 V Rogers 10                              10                              -                                 Complete
9
Estimated saving from replacing ISDN telephony lines with SIP
cloud telephone support (SIP is a digital method of making calls) PT11 V Rogers 76                              76                              -                                 Complete
10 Replacement of Citrix Technology with cheaper technology PT12 V Rogers 75                              75                              -                                 Complete
11
Implement the Water Direct Scheme which facilitates the
collection of water and sewerage debt from residents direct from
their benefits at source by the DWP RES05 L Slavin 60                              60                              -                                 Complete
12
Remove two franking machines and further reduce use of first
class mail RES11 L Slavin 12                              12                              -                                 Complete
13 Seek commercial opportunities for Balloch Park kiosk RES12 L Slavin 15                              10                              5                                    
The rental income was less
than the assumption made at
the savings exercise.
14
Rightsize  minor sundry service budget lines such as travel, books
etc RES14 L Slavin 17                              17                              -                                 Complete

Page 2

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4
MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25
Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer
Budgeted Amount
£000 
Projection of Total
Saved £000 
Projection of Total
Not Saved £000 Comment
15
Rightsize income budgets as consequence of historical lease
review RES15 L Slavin 25                              25                              -                                 Complete
16
Adjust charge to Dumbarton Common Good for  support services
to reflect cost recovery RES19 L Slavin 21                              21                              -                                 Complete
17
Adjust charge to Valuation Joint Board for  support services to
reflect cost recovery RES20 L Slavin 11                              11                              -                                 Complete
18
Remove 3.41 FTE vacant posts in revenue and benefit team and
review work processes to minimise impact on income recovery RES21 L Slavin 109                            109                            -                                 Complete
19
Procure vehicles considered permanently required rather than
hiring  them RN17 G Macfarlane 100                            100                            -                                 In progress
20
Remove a 0.6 FTE vacant registrar post  - no longer required as
Clydebank Registration Service is now managed centrally from
Dumbarton RR02 A Douglas 30                              30                              -                                 Complete
21
Remove a 1 FTE vacancy in the Leadership Support Team whilst
retaining 2:1 PA/CO ratio RR04 A Douglas 39                              39                              -                                 Complete
22
Remove a 0.4 FTE vacancy in the Member Services Team to reflect
requirements of elected members RR05 A Douglas 15                              15                              -                                 Complete
23
Reduce 0.2 FTE in Democratic and Registration Service via a two
year phased retirement RR07 A Douglas 18                              18                              -                                 Complete
24
Right sizing anticipated income from regulatory and regeneration
fees RR12 A Douglas 130                            130                            -                                 Complete
December 2023 Saving Options
25
Reduce the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Mgt Fee by up to
30% CCF01 A Graham 940                            940                            -                                 Complete
26 Reduce Additional Management Time in Primary Schools EDU08 L Mason 304                            304                            -                                 Complete
27 Reduce DMR Budgets by up to 10% EDU11 L Mason 80                              80                              -                                 Complete
28 Two week Christmas closedown bar delivery of essential services RES07 L Slavin 7                                 -                             7                                    
Cost pressure added for
2025/26
29
End the provision of hybrid committee meetings which would
enable the committee team to return to its existing establishment RR03 A Douglas 21                              21                              -                                 Complete
March 2024 Saving Options

Page 3

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4
MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25
Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer
Budgeted Amount
£000 
Projection of Total
Saved £000 
Projection of Total
Not Saved £000 Comment
30 Reduce opening hours of Clydebank Town Hall  to 4 days a week CCF02 A Graham 30                              30                              -                                 Complete
31 Reduce investment in materials in library service CCF06 A Graham 50                              50                              -                                 Complete
32 Reduce financial commitment to the Highland Games CCF11 A Graham 14                              14                              -                                 Complete
33
Review core library staffing (outwith branch libraries)  and
remove one post CCF19 A Graham 18                              18                              -                                 In progress
34
Review menus in educational establishments to reduce waste
whilst ensuring compliance with nutritional guidance CCF20 A Graham 60                              60                              -                                 Complete
35
Reduce Community Budgeting fund by 50% reducing money
available for community groups to bid for CCF24 A Graham 27                              27                              -                                 Complete
36
Reduce  the Community Engagement budget by 50% reducing the
number of events supported CCF25 A Graham 22                              22                              -                                 Complete
37
Review the Communities team reducing the delivery of
community based services CCF26 A Graham 87                              49                              38                                 
Delay in implementation, in
year shortfall will be covered by
the smoothing fund. Full year
savings expected in future
years.
38
Increased use of Pupil Equity Funding to pay for associated
support service costs EDU02 L Mason 70                              70                              -                                 Complete
39
Introduce Early Start Clubs at schools with associated fees (£2) for
pupils not entitled to a free school meal EDU05 L Mason 187                            96                              91                                 
Number of paying attendees
less than forecast and it wasn't
for the full financial year.
40
Increase fees for Out of School Care Service at St Eunan’s Primary
School and Linnvale Primary School by £3 from April 2024 EDU09 L Mason 14                              14                              -                                 Complete
41
Remove 1 of 2 Education Officer posts responsible for quality
assuring and monitoring the performance of West
Dunbartonshire schools EDU13 L Mason 75                              75                              -                                 Complete
42
Reduce the number of ELC Early Stage Teachers from 16.4 FTE to
11.4 FTE across the entire ELC learning estate EDU14 L Mason 219                            219                            -                                 Complete
43
Reduce the number of Early Learning Childcare Posts from 223
FTE to 217 FTE across the entire ELC learning estate EDU15 L Mason 134                            134                            -                                 Complete

Page 4

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4
MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25
Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer
Budgeted Amount
£000 
Projection of Total
Saved £000 
Projection of Total
Not Saved £000 Comment
44
Remove ELC Lead Officer in Bellsmyre and Dalmonach ELC with
remaining management team required to take over aspects of
their remit EDU16 L Mason 62                              62                              -                                 Complete
45 Reduce the Collaborative Support Service by 3.6 FTE EDU17 L Mason 190                            190                            -                                 Complete
46
Reduce use of SMS text messages with schools communicating
with parents using Groupcall. EDU18 L Mason 10                              10                              -                                 Complete
47
Review the current flexibility in primary school classification  and
allocate class structures based on numerical information which
aligns with statutory obligations EDU20 L Mason 400                            400                            -                                 Complete
48 Reduce funding provided to  YSortIt by 25% HE02 P Barry 29                              29                              -                                 Complete
49 Reduce funding provided to  LCCR by £40k HE06 P Barry 40                              40                              Complete
50 Reduce pay preservation period to 12 months PT04 Shared 14                              14                              -                                 Complete
51 Remove counselling and physio PT10 V Rogers 47                              47                              -                                 Complete
52 Remove 3.6 FTE in CAS team PT13 V Rogers 112                            112                            -                                 Complete
53 Reduce WDCVS funding by 50% RES02 L Slavin 75                              75                              -                                 Complete
54 Remove one Council officer RES09 L Slavin 26                              26                              -                                 Complete
55 School crossing patrollers - adhere to best practice RN01 G Macfarlane 24                              24                              -                                 Complete
56 Introduce £60 Garden Waste Charge RN02 G Macfarlane 180                            180                            -                                 Complete
57
Amend roads service activities to support education to statutory
level RN04 G Macfarlane 37                              37                              -                                 Complete
58
Reduce the Consultancy Services/Capital Investment Team by
25% RN18 G Macfarlane 10                              10                              -                                 Complete
59
Reduce the roads operations service from 29 FTE to 26 FTE which
will reduce resilience in the team RN21 G Macfarlane 80                              80                              -                                 Complete
60
Reduce maintenance costs through replacing 6 under utilised
grass pitches with 3 new 4G pitches RN22 G Macfarlane 10                              10                              -                                 In progress
61
Implement new approach to road defect repairs which will
capitalise costs previously charged to revenue RN23 G Macfarlane 200                            200                            -                                 Complete
62 Reduce weed killing from twice a year to once a year RN26 G Macfarlane 50                              50                              -                                 Complete
63 Increase commercial waste fees by 14% RN27 G Macfarlane 45                              45                              -                                 Complete
64
Remove £12,500 of Nightzone West funding provided to Police
Scotland RR01 A Douglas 12                              12                              -                                 Complete
65
Reduction in 2 FTE paralegal support to contracts and property
section RR08 A Douglas 90                              67                              23                                  Delay in implementation

Page 5

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4
MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25
Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer
Budgeted Amount
£000 
Projection of Total
Saved £000 
Projection of Total
Not Saved £000 Comment
March 2024 Management Adjustments
66 Review Arts & Heritage Service CCF16 A Graham 24                              24                              Complete
67 Removal of GF Contribution to Housing Asset & Investment Team HE05 P Barry 50                              50                              -                                 Complete
68
Review compliance with Strategic Opening Model to identify
areas where teams or posts can be merged PT08 Shared 200                            200                            -                                 Complete
69
Restructure of Transactional Services to remove one vacant G10
post PT09 V Rogers 30                              30                              -                                 Complete
70 Increase Council Tax on Second Homes RES06 L Slavin 82                              82                              -                                 Complete
71 Remove Empty Property Relief for Listed Buildings RES18 L Slavin 34                              34                              -                                 Complete
72 Remove vacant posts in asset management RES22 L Slavin 99                              99                              Complete
73
Remove facility assistants at Aurora House bringing service in line
with that provided at Clydebank Town Centre Office RES23 L Slavin 54                              54                              -                                 Complete
74 Generate income from Levengrove Pavilion and ass land RES25 L Slavin 63                              20                              43                                 
Rental income lower and
running costs higher than
forecast when the saving
assumptions were reviewed.
75 Right size water authority income budget RES26 L Slavin 25                              25                              -                                 Complete
76 Outsourcing mgt of retail assets RES27 L Slavin 33                              33                              -                                 Complete
77
Transfer cost of solicitor support for the council housing building
prog to HRA capital budget RR09 A Douglas 60                              60                              -                                 Complete
78 Remove vacant contaminated land officer post RR11 A Douglas 30                              30                              -                                 Complete
79
Reduce support to planning and building standards by removing a
vacant part time technical support assistant post RR13 A Douglas 16                              16                              -                                 Complete
80
Remove a service co-ordinator in env health team and invite 2
service co-ordinators to be interviewed for the principal env
health officer post. RR14 A Douglas 68                              68                              -                                 Complete

Page 6

WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL APPENDIX 4
MONITORING OF EFFICIENCIES AND MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS 2024/25
Efficiency Detail Ref Chief Officer
Budgeted Amount
£000 
Projection of Total
Saved £000 
Projection of Total
Not Saved £000 Comment
81 Remove vacant Planning Compliance Officer post RR15 A Douglas 30                              30                              -                                 Complete
82 Remove one of the 3 Building Standards Surveyor Posts RR16 A Douglas 53                              53                              -                                 Complete
83 Reduce hours of solicitor from 5 days to 4 days RR17 A Douglas 12                              12                              -                                 Complete
84 Fund existing Grade 8 post from UK Towns Fund Support RR18 A Douglas 60                              60                              -                                 Complete
85
Fund officer costs associated with Levelling Up from final year of
Levelling Up Rev funding. RR19 A Douglas 60                              60                              -                                 Complete
86 March 2024 Increases in Fees and Charges Shared 492                            492                            Complete
6,649                          6,442                                  207 TOTAL EFFICIENCIES/MANAGEMENT ADJUSTMENTS