Aberdeenshire councillors are being recommended by officers not to proceed with the setting up of an Aberdeenshire Culture & Sport Trust. The report will go before full council next Thursday.
The new trust was being set up to save roughly £1m a year through business rates and VAT savings, however responses from the Scottish Government and HM Customs & Excise show that these savings can no longer be achieved, and indeed it would be more costly to proceed.
The trust would have taken over responsibility for a range of services under an independent arms’ length board of trustees.
It is now proposed that the council seeks to improve its services in house.
The report, with full details, is available on the council website at http://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees.aspx?commid=1&meetid=18733
UPDATE: Councillors agreed not to proceed with the arms-length trust. There is more at https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/apps/news/release.aspx?newsid=4883