That was the warning to councillors this week, as they heard that the local authority is facing an £8.2m hole in their finances for 2021-22.
And so far only £5.6 million of potential savings have been identified to plug the gap.
They include a suggestion to increase Council Tax payments and it’s noted that every one per cent rise generates about £750,000.
However, it’s noted that some of the proposals may not be agreeable to elected members, although no further details are given.
Officials will continue to look for savings, but finance manager Gillian Ross said: “The capacity to develop further savings options is significantly limited at present, due to the ongoing impact on resources of Covid-19 response and recovery.”
In a report for Thursday’s meeting, she also explained that they expect to be reimbursed for their covid spending by the Scottish Government.
However, Ms Ross said: “It is fully anticipated that Covid-19 will continue to impact on the council’s required spending and income levels in 2021/22.”
And she wants councillors to “take into account the exceptional circumstances and degree of uncertainty associated with the ongoing Covid-19 response and recovery.”
Budget planning will continue over the next few months, with the Scottish budget expected to be announced in January.
Meanwhile, officials hope that the region’s budget and Council Tax levels can be set and agreed at the start of March.
