Council to defy budget deadline
South Lanarkshire Council will not accept the Scottish Government’s grant offer before the deadline this Friday – despite threats of a cut in cash.
Councils across Scotland had been told by finance secretary Derek Mackay they would need to agree to the settlement by January 20 or risk more cuts.
However, with the SNP government still trying to secure support that will get their budget through parliament, council leader Eddie McAvoy said the Labour-led local authority is not in a position to “accept or decline” the offer.
Mr Mackay had originally given councils until January 13 to accept the offer but extended this to the 20th.
The council scrapped a special meeting at the beginning of the year as the Holyrood budget had not yet been passed by parliament.
Councillors will next get a chance to discuss the funding package on Wednesday, February 8, at an executive committee.
The authority is facing having to make over £22 million of cuts to public services to balance the books.
The Scottish Conservatives say it is rich for the Scottish Government to expect councils to agree a budget which has no guarantee of being approved.
Local government spokesman and East Kilbride West councillor Graham Simpson said: “The SNP is using bully-boy tactics to force councils to accept this settlement.
“Perhaps Derek Mackay should spend less time trying to threaten councils and more time finding common ground with other parties to ensure his budget doesn’t fall flat on its face.
“The budget hasn’t even been approved by the Scottish Parliament yet, with no indication that it is close to being signed off.
“Local authorities are quite right to refuse to sign up to this until there’s a guarantee of it going through.”
Council leader Eddie McAvoy said: “I cannot accept or reject the offer because I do not have the information from the Scottish Government.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “We have treated local government very fairly, despite the cuts to the Scottish budget from the UK Government, and we are required by statute to consult on the terms of the local government settlement ahead of the final stages of the budget in order to pass the required legislation to fund local authorities.
“The Scottish Government has been clear from the outset that it wants to work in partnership with local government.
“The package of funding on offer this year, once agreed, does not contain such sanctions.
“The cabinet secretary’s letter to councils is clear, however, on the likely outcome for those authorities not agreeing the offer in the first instance.
“It is now up to each individual local authority to accept the full package of measures and benefits.”
Residents in East Kilbride are facing a raft of cuts in proposed savings, including the loss of the grant to the town’s sports council, which it claims could spell the end for the group. A Strathaven woman who was caught carrying heroin and cannabis was admonished at Hamilton Sheriff Court.
Christine Duffy, of Townhead Street, admitted possession of the drugs at her home in September 2015.
The 35-year-old was admonished and dismissed on Monday.