Regional council to consider funding to museums, libraries, food hampers as part of budget deliberations
Region could save $90K by ending its public access defibrillator program, audit found
Regional council is looking at ways to save money in the 2020 budget after a recent service audit suggested items like food hampers, child care, and libraries could be scaled down or cut completely.
But regional Chair Karen Redman acknowledges these changes could also impact the region's lowest income people.
The potential savings were identified as part of an audit of the region's services. The service audit was done after the province provided funding for municipalities to review their finances.
For the report, the region asked consulting firm KPMG to look at areas where either the region is not mandated to provide a service or where the region provides the service at a level higher than provincially mandated.
Auditors highlighted 19 service areas for re-evaluation; however, the report found the region has already acted on most of the low-impact, high-return opportunities raised in a full audit done in 2017.
Opportunities that still exist "are transformational or at odds with the traditional strategic direction of the region and will require additional analysis," the report says.
Redman says in the last five years, the region has taken "about $12 million dollars out of our base budget."
She added the region will need to do a more thorough investigation to find out if the savings in the new report are actually achievable.
Above standard
In some cases, the auditors identified the region is providing services that are above standard when compared to similar governments, or what is legally required.
For example, the region contributes $1.8 million above what is legislatively required for discretionary benefits. Discretionary benefits include dental services, food hampers and mobility aids for those who are collecting social assistance.
Since this spending is discretionary, it could be reduced or completely eliminated, the report noted.
The same is said for region-run child care centres. The region doesn't have to run the centres and "there is an opportunity to review the need and the number" of centres.
"A consolidation of child care centres may provide greater efficiency in service delivery while maintaining the service level standard," the report said.
The region provides child care service at a higher cost than other municipalities that also run child care centres because of higher staffing levels and compensation rates.
Council yet to debate
Redman says regional councillors will take a long look at the recommendations and decide where they want to make cuts.
"Sometimes it looks like a simple math exercise about how much you can potentially can save," Redman said.
"There's political realities, there's unintended consequences, impacts on staff, service delivery and the people who receive the services. Those are all things that regional council needs to debate."
The discretionary benefit spending is something that was debated and decided upon when council was discussing a previous KPMG audit in 2017, Redman said.
"There will be an opportunity to discuss this on January 14, my personal opinion is that we will continue to deliver those services."
The region is currently accepting feedback online through the EngageWR website. The online feedback forms are open until Friday.
Redman says while the 2020 budget may not see major cuts to services, the region may need to tighten the purse strings in 2021 and beyond.
"I think there's a longer trajectory of discussing this I don't think it was just a matter of getting the KPMG report and saying, 'Oh, we'll tick these boxes off and act on this right away.' I think all of them need a more fulsome discussion," Redman says. "We need to do this right."