East Renfrewshire Council is hoping to make hundreds of thousands of pounds through selling an 'extremely rare' number plate in a bid to raise funds to help reduce the expected budget gap over the next three years.
In October last year, council leader Owen O'Donnell issued a stark warning to residents after revealing a £30m budget black hole is being faced by the local authority over the next three years.
“We already know that the budget process over the next three years is going to be extremely challenging and will require some very difficult decisions to be made. The Council has already made savings of more than £80m since 2015-16, so to bridge a gap of a further £30m is going to be very difficult.", he said.
READ MORE: East Kilbride undertaker fined for dropping family at Glasgow pub for wake wins bus lane appeal
The authority is doing all that it can to reduce the budget gap and bring in some extra income and it includes selling a valuable number plate.
The car registration plate 'HS 0' was given to the old Eastwood District Council many years ago. It's not been in use since the lease on the council’s car ended last year, and has now been identified as a potential way to generate cash for the council.
Given the rarity of the number plate, the council wants to sell it at a six-figure sum and are eying up celebs including former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton and global pop superstar Harry Styles to invest their cash into the registration plate.
Most registration numbers will start from 1 and the fact that the council’s registration number contains zero on its own makes it extremely rare.
Councillors will consider the proposal to proceed with the sale of the registration plate at a Cabinet meeting on January 26.
If agreed, plans will then be taken forward to sell the plate at auction, with an appropriate reserve set to protect the council’s interests.
An East Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “The Council is facing extremely difficult financial circumstances. To address these, and to mitigate their impact, every avenue is being explored in relation to generating efficiencies, charging for services and other ways of generating income.
"In light of the Council’s difficult financial situation all opportunities to generate income need to be considered. The sale of the Council registration HS 0 presents the opportunity to generate a sizeable sum.
"In current circumstances it would be imprudent not to consider the sale of something which serves no real purpose and which, arguably, would be viewed by many as an unnecessary extravagance.”
READ NEXT -
Glasgow woman marries rapist serving 20 years in US prison after 9-month relationship
Glasgow driver hits fertility clinic with £396 repair bill after overgrown hedge 'damages' campervan
Prison guards flank gangland killer Paul Lyons as he's allowed out of jail for dad's funeral
Glasgow hillwalker airlifted to hospital after falling into waterfall taking pictures at beauty spot
East Renfrewshire leader backs calls to pause National Care Service plans
