TWO Argyll and Bute councillors have shown their hand ahead of this week’s budget planning for 2019/20 – and are proposing that around £700,000 of services are spared the axe.

Opposition independent councillor Douglas Philand has proposed that school crossing patrollers, youth and adult learning services and grounds and environment services are all saved as part of the process.

The motion by the Mid Argyll ward councillor, which also proposes to rescue environmental wardens, music tuition, the road safety unit and the customer care centre from the chop, is seconded by his South Kintyre colleague Donald Kelly.

The duo are the first to make their thoughts on the savings proposals known before the full council meets to discuss the 2019/20 budget on Thursday, February 21.

Even with those service cuts taken away, it would still leave the council with a financial surplus of just over £300,000 in the coming financial year, after head of strategic finance Kirsty Flanagan predicted a cushion of slightly more than £1 million should all savings proposals be implemented.

The two councillors have also proposed different methods of use for the council’s capital funding, including removing additional funding for the Helensburgh Waterfront and Dunoon CHORD projects.

Instead, they want an additional £1.024million earmarked for regeneraton projects in Tarbert, Ardrishaig and Lochgilphead.

It is also proposed that St Peter’s Seminary restoration project in Cardross is removed from the capital plan and the £250,000 transferred to the surplus.

The council has a capital surplus of nearly £1.9m.

Councillor Kelly said: “These proposals have been checked and are competent.

“We feel strongly that this is how the full council should act in the best interests of the people of Argyll and Bute instead of the old ploy of pulling rabbits out of the hat on budget day.”