‘Councils left to fund virus fall out themselves’ Tories claim SNP £100m shortfall

FrASEr WILSOn

A Conservative MSP claims South Lanarkshire Council have been left with a “black hole” in their funding to fight against coronavirus.

Graham Simpson said latest analysis provided by COSLA showed local authorities across Scotland were facing a £100m funding shortfall.

He said the document, entitled ‘Additional costs faced by local government during COVID-19,’ details that councils will be out of pocket to the tune of just over £250 million from March to the end of June 2020.

And the Scottish Conservative shadow local government secretary claims this has led to “another startling u-turn” by the SNP.

Mr Simpson says the government have accepted calls from COSLA and the Tories to let councils disseminate a £155m pot already promised.

He told the News: “There is £100m of funding needed that local governments simply do not have.

“The SNP has been extremely quick in placing significant burdens on our local administrations.

“Despite this, the Communities Secretary completely failed to give any commitment to giving our local councils the money that they need.

“Thankfully the SNP has performed yet another u-turn and has now agreed that councils will divvy up the previous funding themselves.”

Mr Simpson urged the Scottish government to finance the “black hole” and “prepare to support local councils further”.

However, Linda Fabiani said her Tory counterpart was only telling “half the story”.

The East Kilbride MSP told us: “There is a due process for the allocation of additional funds and that process is currently underway.

“Finance Secretary Kate Forbes has already clarified the Scottish government are currently working with COSLA on a cost-gathering exercise across all local authorities to determine exactly the full cost implications as a result of the current pandemic.

“By working jointly with local authorities, the government will then be able to determine better how funding is released.

“Local authorities are doing all they can to support current efforts and I am absolutely positive they will be fully supported with the right funding from the Scottish Government.”

The Scottish Conservatives say the government need to fund local councils “properly” through the significant Barnett consequentials they have received from the UK government.

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