COUNCILLORS are set to clash over next year's budget tomorrow, Thursday February 23.

The special meeting comes two weeks after the administration approved compulsory redundancies and an external structure review, which will see a around 350 workers lose their jobs over the next three years in order to balance the numbers.

As expected, the budget is looking to raise council tax by the maximum three per cent allowed by the Scottish Government after the long-lasting freeze on the levy ended this year.

Local residents will have to reach a little deeper into the pocket, it will cost the average household less than £3 extra a month. It is estimated the move will generate around an extra £1million for the local authority's coffers.

If proposals are voted through, children, parents, charities and businesses will all feel the effects of cuts in a number of areas.

Around £115,000 will be saved by moving nursery teachers to a peripatetic, travelling from place to place, model. It is understood savings here will be offset by ring-fenced Scottish Government money to close the attainment gap.

There will be £5,000 less for parent councils, but a new engagement officer will provide support.

Music tuition fees will increase by 15 per cent, costs at the Firpark Ski Centre will go up by 10 per cent and there will be a 5 per cent increase on sport services.

School crossing patrols will also be removed from Menstrie and Redwell Primaries as there is already a pelican crossing at these schools. The price for meals in the Wee County's educational establishments will also rise by £0.10.

Funding to voluntary organisations will be cut by £30,000, while cash grants for local businesses will also go down by around £19,000 to £15,000.

Then Labour council leader Councillor Bobby McGill told the Advertiser that a lot will depend on what the SNP is planning, but said he does not believe a sustainable budget would be possible without redundancies.

As reported, the SNP opposed the redundancies strongly and group leader Cllr Les Sharp has previously indicated his party will be tight-lipped over its plans for the budget, but also hinted he would be looking at a restructure internally to balance the books without compulsory redundancies.

The trade unions of the council have hit out over the administration's measures heavy handed and it is expected they will not be sitting quietly on the day.

But Cllr McGill explained the move, saying: “If I want to sustain the council and take that council into the future and [continue] services for my constituents out there, then I've got to take some hard decisions.

“The previous administration ran away from these hard decisions. We were well advised that we would be forced to take some terrible decisions if we took the administration on, but we felt it was only right that elected members would take these decisions, not faceless people coming in on an economic background.”