CLYDEBANK is facing its biggest threats from Covid-19, continuing cash cuts from the Scottish Government and Brexit.

Council officials have calculated the level of risk faced by the local authority, ranging from cyber attacks to the health and safety of staff.

The most likely and impactful risks, according to a report to West Dunbartonshire Council’s corporate services committee next week, should all be reduced significantly by 2022.

Covid-19 has cost 200 lives across the area in the past year and council estimates about £17 million has been spent by the local authority on the pandemic.

Although infections have started to slow and vaccines are being given to residents, the council still sees the pandemic as its greatest risk. Even a year from now, there will still be an expected impact.

The report states: “While the likelihood has reduced given that the mass vaccination programme is now being rolled out, the impact is still high due to the new strain of the virus, increased numbers following festive period, impact on health services and resourcing vaccination centres.”

Council bosses are facing reduced government funding, reduced income, service cuts, more debt owed to the council and other factors. They also fear “reputational damage”.

The pandemic has also affected attempts to raise attainment for school pupils, raising the risk level to the council’s duty to educate youngsters.

Bosses said there was “no major local issues” from the end of the transition period out of the EU on December 31. But Covid-19 restrictions made it difficult to measure the impact on businesses who are affected by the pandemic more greatly.

The risk is still rated as high.

West Dunbartonshire Council has been given the lowest rise of any local authority from the Scottish Government’s 2021-22 budget - and council officials had already blamed central government for the impact over the past decade.

The report states: “The Council is faced with significant ongoing funding reductions from the Scottish Government. Austerity or the financial impact of previous austerity measures is expected to continue for a number of years into the future and likely to result in funding reductions or limitations.

“Given the impact of Covid on the UK economy, together with continuing reduction to the Scottish population living in West Dunbartonshire, it is now expected that there will be a reduction in the general funding availability from the Scottish Government in risk factors 2021/22 onwards.”

The council also highlighted there was a “lack of time” to prepare for government grant changes, and each budget is only for a single year.