The council is in the process of setting its budget for 2024-25 which will mean finding ways to overcome a shortfall of more than £29 million.

Current projections for 2025-26 show a budget gap that year of a further £41m.

Now local residents and service users are being urged to have their say, before councillors decide what that will mean in terms of the services that the council can afford to deliver in future.

Council Leader Joe Fagan said: “Our costs have soared due to rampant inflation: the fuel that heats our care homes; the food we provide for children in our schools; construction materials for roads maintenance and building homes. In fact, there is an impact on almost everything we do.

“And while our costs have been rocketing, I am afraid to say the money we have available to provide services has been going in the opposite direction. While the Scottish Government’s revenue budget has gone up, funding for local government has been squeezed in real terms.

“That means we no longer have the funding available to provide the same number and level of services we have provided in previous years.

“This means some truly difficult decisions must be made around what we can afford to do. There are no easy options or answers, but I am asking local people to tell us what is most important to them by taking part in our public consultation. And we will listen.”

You can take part in the consultation online at www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/budget-consultation, by emailing savings@southlanarkshire.gov.uk or posting responses to Budget Consultation, Floor 4, South Lanarkshire Council, Almada Street, Hamilton ML3 0AA.