Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
SNP go off deep end over sounding board
Group will again produce an‘alternative budget’
Councillors from North Lanarkshire’s two largest parties have again clashed over news that the SNP will once again not participate in the annual cross-party budget preparation process.
Opposition group leader Tom Johnston told the Advertiser earlier this month that his councillors would not be taking part in the yearly sounding board to analyse the council’s finances and proposed savings for the year ahead and that they would instead prepare their own budget.
Labour counterpart Jim Logue, the council leader, has now accused the group of “ducking their responsibilities” and playing “petty party political games”.
Councillor Logue has previously warned of a “catastrophic” £100 million cut to North Lanarkshire’s budget over the next three years, saying: “There will be a serious detrimental effect and we’re going to see the cessation of services, facilities closing down and councils just doing what they’re statutorily required to do.”
The Airdrie representative slammed the area’s nationalist group this week and said: “This is a sad indictment of what the SNP have become in North Lanarkshire.
“Even after 11 years of catastrophic cuts from their own government, they would still rather duck their responsibilities to the public than put aside their own party interests.
“It’s in the best interests of those we represent to have councillors from all parties round the table as we navigate yet more cuts to our budget from the Scottish Government; and it is particularly galling that they have refused to take responsibility and fight for a better deal for North Lanarkshire.”
He added: “My door will remain open as we seek to protect the frontline services our residents rely on; and if the SNP will not join the sounding board, then at the very least they should be demanding their SNP colleagues in Edinburgh not vote for a budget that will decimate the vital services of their own constituents.”
SNP group leader Tom Johnston told the Advertiser earlier this month: “The SNP group will not be participating in any Labour-Tory budget sounding board; just as last year,the SNP budget team will meet officials and produce a group alternative budget for the people of North Lanarkshire.”
He said the administration “is working collegiately with a Tory Party which is taking £3.9 billion out of social security spend in Scotland over the six years to 2023” and added: “Universal credit is hitting families hard and people face no old-age pension until they are 75 in future – Lanarkshire Labour are silent on these issues.
“Labour always blame the SNP government; that’s because they rely on the eight Tories to give them a ruling majority on the council.”
Councillor Johnston added of the forthcoming budget determination: “First we have to learn the UK budget for 2020-2023, then its effects on the Scottish budget, and finally the Scottish Government’s proposals for local government.”