Labour On The Offensive Over Scottish Government Budget

28th February 2020

Figures obtained by Scottish Labour from SPICe have revealed that local government non-ringfenced revenue funding has been cut by £898.8m in real terms between 2013-14 and 2020-21.

Despite the SNP's claim to have provided a fair deal for local government at this year's budget, these numbers demonstrate that councils will continue to face brutal cuts to important budgets this year.

Local services in the Highlands and Islands are at breaking point. Scottish Labour campaigned hard for a fair deal for local councils but, by selling out the Highlands and Islands and all of Scotland's councils, the SNP and Scottish Greens have passed further cuts onto our communities.

Scottish Labour called for free bus travel for all under 25s at this year's budget. Instead, the Greens and the SNP cut a deal to investigate the feasibility for free bus travel for under 18s. Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery but this agreement pales in comparison to Scottish Labour's policy and will deny opportunities for over 400,000 young people.

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, said "All across Scotland, local councils are at breaking point. Here in the Highlands and Islands we can clearly see the effects of years of SNP austerity on our communities.

"It is the most vulnerable in the Highlands and Islands that will bare the brunt of further cuts to local government.

"At this budget the SNP had the chance to listen to Scottish Labour and provide fair funding for local councils. They chose instead to do another deal with the Greens and enforce further cuts on our communities.

"Scottish Labour will not vote for a budget that damages the people of the Highlands and Islands and the rest Scotland, nor will we stand by. Scottish Labour stand up for the people of Scotland and oppose this budget."

Highland council today published its budget paper to be discussed at a special meeting on Thursday 5th March. See the budget paper for highland Council at https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/4250/highland_council

The opening points include -

The Council is forecasting a budget gap of £67.455m over the next three years which arises due to inflationary costs pressures on pay and other non-staffing costs, the need to rebuild reserves and provide a fund to invest in transformational change, dealing with existing pressures to ensure a sustainable basis for the budget, and expected changes in government funding over the period.

This budget is being set in a challenging financial context, both nationally and locally. The Administration has considered the findings of the recent Best Value Audit Review in arriving at the recommendations being presented, with particular regard to addressing concerns about the longer-term financial sustainability of the Council, including historic challenges in delivering approved budget savings.

There are a wide range of savings or cuts being made including increased charges and not least increasing the council tax by 4.84%.

The paper is long with many recommendation and lists of savings etc. Inevitably there will be staffing implications.

Added to that are the effects of the paper at Education Committee today on Additional Support Needs where major changes are being brought about by the harsh financial conditions.