Council budget papers – of a kind – are to be published on 26th January

(Updated below) Papers relating to the 2012-13 budget for Argyll and Bute are to be published tomorrow, Thursday 26th January, for the full council meeting on 16th February – which, unfortunately, falls in a week of school holidays.

This follows a process of consultation with the public – from October to December 2011 – which involved an educative process on how budgets are put together and balanced.

Update 14.00 25th January:

We now understand from Councillor James Robb that what is to be published tomorrow is not the actual budget proposal but a draft budget which is no more than a list of options from officers approved by the administration.

It does not say which of these options have been entered into the proposed budget nor whether their estimated cost survives in what will be presented to council on 16th February.

This does look like a repetition of the wholly inexcusable practice of Argyll and Bute Council to issue serious documents to elected members at the start of the meeting in which they are to be discussed.

We had hoped that the statement issued indicated a change of direction  on this matter but it appears that old dogs cannot…

It is obvious that the administration of the council and its CEO are happy not to facilitate informed discussion amongst elected members, even on the most serious  business the council conducts in any year.