GLASGOW City Council is facing a budget spending gap of more than £50m this year.

The council revealed the figure as it launched a consultation ahead of setting the budget later this month.

It said it will either have to cut services, raise extra cash or a combination of both by that figure to balance the budget, as it is required to do in law.

The actual spending gap for 2019/20 could be higher as some savings will have already been identified. And the £51m is what is still to be found.

The Evening times revealed a range of measures being costed as potential savings.

It included closing swimming pools, community facilities and golf course to save cash.

After Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Derek Mackay, announced his budget and the settlement for local government, the council is able to produce its own estimates.

Mr Mackay said his budget would give councils more cash to spend but it will still see Glasgow facing a significant cut.

He said the deal he agreed with the Greens on the budget would see Scottish councils have an extra £187m to spend, including £47m from the ability to raise council tax by up to 4.7%.

But Glasgow’s settlement from the Government is still around £10m less than the year before accoding to the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

The council’s shortfall includes around £33m additional costs in inflationary pressures and wages and cash that needs to be found to meet the equal pay settlement.

City treasurer, Allan Gow, sets his budget on February 21.

The council is facing a £500m bill for pay outs to around 15,000 women.

Some of the cash will be budgeted for in the coming financial year with around £25m expected.

Labour said the Holyrood budget deal has shortchanged the city.

Anas Sarwar, Labour MSP for Glasgow, said: “The SNP and Greens have colluded to inflict a massive cut to Glasgow Council’s funding that will hit lifeline services across the city.

“Derek Mackay has short-changed the city, and SNP council leader Susan Aitken is unwilling to stand up to him and fight for the people of Glasgow.”

A spokesman said: “Every public sector budget is under strain, not least from inflation and other unavoidable costs and the council is certainly not immune to that. “Glasgow obviously also has to budget for the annual cost of meeting its obligations on equal pay.

“However, we expect our remaining budget gap to narrow as a result of this week’s agreement at the Scottish Parliament and officers are working on the detail of that now.

“In the meantime, we want to understand the priorities of people and communities across the city and our online survey is an important part of that process.”