The leader of West Dunbartonshire Council has sounded an SOS call, as the deadline for setting a balanced budget looms.
Councillor Martin Rooney joined the leaders of other local authorities across Scotland in calling to ‘Save our Services,’ with WDC facing its biggest ever financial challenge.
In December it was revealed that West Dunbartonshire Council faces a budget black hole of £21million – with decisions taken by the leading Labour administration, including the introduction of council-led parking enforcement, cuts to school transport provisions and hours at recycling centres, so far closing that to £14.5m.
However, Councillor Rooney has warned that, without further funding from Holyrood, the local authority will face savage cuts that impact key services if it’s forced to close the gap by March.
Writing to the area’s local MSPs, Labour’s Jackie Baillie and the SNP’s Marie McNair, as well as the seven list MSPs for the West of Scotland last week, Councillor Rooney warned that ‘socially harmful’ decisions would have to be made if more cash couldn’t be provided.
Scottish Government ministers say they accept that councils are under pressure but point out that they are receiving a cash uplift of more than half a billion pounds in 2023/24.
Cosla, the body representing local authorities, says most of that cash is ring-fenced for particular national priorities and gives councils little flexibility.
In his letter, Councillor Rooney says: “Prior to the Scottish Budget, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) sounded an unprecedented ‘Budget SOS’.
“Local government came together to declare that council funding was at ‘crisis point’ and to warn that the failure to properly resource councils would see services significantly reduced, or even stopped, and people pulled into poverty.
“That Budget SOS was ignored by the Scottish Government.
With approximately 80 per cent of council funding determined by the Scottish Parliament, the decisions MSPs make in the coming weeks will have more bearing on the size of our council’s budget than those of any councillor.
“I am writing to all West Dunbartonshire members of the Scottish Parliament to appeal to your conscience, to insist that you reject real-terms cuts to our council’s core budget and to help us secure a radically-improved funding settlement for our area.
“The real-terms cuts imposed on Scotland’s councils are unethical and destructive and are fuelling social evils in our country today.
“I cannot be any clearer. This budget neglects councils and if you vote for it, unamended, you will damage the communities you are supposed to serve.”
A list of proposed cuts is expected to be published in the coming week, ahead of a full meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council on March 1 where the key decisions will be required to be made.
Speaking earlier this year, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “In the most challenging budget settlement since devolution, the Scottish Government are providing over £13.2 billion in the 2023-24 Local Government Settlement.
“Following the flat-cash position set out in the resource spending review, we have listened to councils and are now increasing the resources available to local government next year by over £570million.
“In 2023-24, West Dunbartonshire Council will receive £227million to fund local services, which equates to an extra £13.5million to support vital day-to-day services or an additional 6.3 percent compared to 2021-22.
“In addition all councils will receive their fair share of the currently undistributed sum of £225million.
“I can confirm that the Scottish Government will continue to press the UK Government for urgent additional funding for our joint priorities and would welcome support from COSLA and individual local authorities.
“I can also assure you that the Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with local government to ensure that the people of Scotland continue to receive the high-quality public services that they deserve.”
