Following a decision taken at a meeting of South Ayrshire Council's Policy and Resources Sub-Committee on Resource Management, a consultant is to be employed by the Council to undertake a full and comprehensive review of the operations and structures of the Department of Environment and Infrastructure.

A report was presented at the Committee to advise Members of the performance of the Environment and Infrastructure department's income and expenditure against its profiled budgets for the financial period to 31 July 2005. The report showed that the department is overspent by £233,000 for the period under consideration and that there is currently a projected overspend of £1,664,000 to the end of the financial year 2005/06.

However, savings proposed by the management, which Members accepted will result in a revised projected full year outurn in line with the budget.

The Council is committed to a fundamental review of all their services and budgets, and that is why the matter of the projected overspend was submitted to the Committee as a matter of urgency.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Andy Hill, who is Convener of the Committee, put forward a motion "That the recommendations in the report be approved and in addition, that in view of the current circumstances, an independent management consultant be employed by the Council as a matter or urgency to undertake a full and comprehensive review of the operations and structures of the Department of Environment and Infrastructure, and to make recommendations to the Council about arrangements for the future delivery of the department's services, and that an initial allocation of £30,000 be made from the Contingency Fund to meet the costs of this exercise."

Following discussion amongst the Committee a unanimous decision was taken by Elected Members to follow this course of action.

Said Councillor Andy Hill: "The projected overspend is unacceptable, and that is why the Committee accepted the proposals to address the budget, and has taken a decision to secure the services of a consultant, who will be asked to produce a full report on the operations of the department, and recommend ways in which these can be improved and the financial position radically improved."

September 2005