UNION chiefs are calling on councillors to protect jobs and services when they meet to set the Inverclyde Council budget for next year.

The latest estimate is that the local authority will have to save £2 million in 2020/21 and officials from the local branch of Unison believe that is achievable without getting rid of staff or cutting back on services.

The level of savings is all dependent on how much councils receive in the Scottish Government budget and whether councillors decide to raise the council tax.

But union officials believe there is scope locally to set a balanced budget without making major cuts to jobs and services.

Douglas Maclean, from the Inverclyde branch of Unison, which represents council staff, said: "Unison and the other trade unions have met with all elected members and have put forward the case for a progressive budget that protects jobs and services.

"Taking account of many factors such as the estimated budget gap, options for raising council tax, reserves and charges - there is clearly scope for the council to approve a budget which protects jobs and services.

"There is further scope to do so and at the same time for the council not to compromise on their own political priorities.

"The council have already agreed several million pounds worth of savings in areas that were regarded as 'relatively painless'.

"These were approved at council meetings last September and November.

"The financial predicament which the council now faces is far less precarious than in many other councils.

Union officials have urged ministers at Holyrood to loosen the purse strings and help local authorities.

Mr Maclean said: "We will be doing all we can to ensure there are no cuts to community, learning and development and library services, jobs that members carry out in schools, key services in social protection, frontline children's services and assessment and care management services.

"We are also fully opposed to the crude privatisation of the respite unit at Hillend.

"Unison will also be campaigning at a national level as we fully recognise that these cuts would not be necessary if local government was responsibly and fairly funded.

"We are all becoming increasingly frustrated when listening to the Scottish Government's rhetoric when they try to explain that council funding has not been cut."

The government will deliver outline its draft spending and tax proposals on February 6 with the final budget expected to be approved on March 2.

Inverclyde councillors will meet to set the level of council tax on February 20 before setting the local budget on March 12.

Council leader Stephen McCabe said: "Our aspirations as an administration is to keep job losses to a minimum. "One of our priorities is to protect jobs. "But that is largely dependent on the settlement we receive from the Scottish Government and the willingness of councillors to put the council tax up."