Council faces" significant reductions from standstill budget"

17th January 2012

The standstill allocation of money by the Scottish Government for council services in the Highlands mean " significant reductions in real terms for Highlands Council to spend on its services for the public " over the next three years, according to Rhoda Grant MSP.

Speaking today she said "When these allocations are looked at again taking into account the effect of price rises , a different picture emerges from the so-called 'same level of funding' claim. Next year, the Scottish Government's revenue allocation to Highland Council will be worth £13 million less than it is in today's monetary terms. In 2013-14 it will be worth £24 million less , and the following year it will be worth £36 million less.

Mrs Grant continued "Despite these cuts in value and despite overall rising prices, the Scottish Government are ordering councils such as Highland to maintain the level of vital services. This cannot be done while the Scottish Government refuses to fully fund its 5-year council tax freeze, demanding instead that councils slash their spending on services."

Secretary of Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Constituency Labour Party, Simon Harrison said, "There have been calls in the north (Cllr Willie Mackay) for a return to council tax increases against a background of increasingly painful cuts that Highland council has had to make.

The SNP Government has imposed a council tax freeze that councils are powerless to resist, since they would be financially penalised if they did so. Its a zero sum deal and we have yet to hear what the SNP would put in place of council tax.

By not supplying the funds, whilst pretending its business as usual, the SNP are passing the blame for the cuts onto councils. Highland council taxpayers should be under no illusion as to who is to blame for the cuts.