Roads win big share of budget
Funeral webcam fees and parking hike scrapped
Perth and Kinross councillors have voted to reject proposals to bring in unpopular crematorium webcam charges and increase the price of parking.
A proposed 10p increase in the cost of school meals has also been deferred until next year.
The Conservative budget was ultimately backed by the Liberal Democrat group and Independent councillors after incorporating some of their proposals.
The Conservative 2021/22 budget pledged to invest a record £14 million in roads, £1.3m in business recovery, £550,000 in education and over £1m in communities.
Council leader Murray Lyle said the spending plan focused on recovery, supporting businesses and roads.
Cllr Lyle told councillors: “The unknowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic are unparalleled.
“Rather than make knee-jerk reactions without all the facts, we will continue to adopt a prudent approach to our revenue budget setting in keeping with the reputation of this administration.
“This is why we are recognising over £8m of financial pressure on the revenue budget on a non-recurring basis for one year only. This covers additional expenditure, reduced income, delayed savings and some, as yet unknown, demand pressures.”
The Conservatives announced an additional £4m in road maintenance to deal with the backlog of issues carried over from last year - bringing the total roads maintenance budget to £14m.
Highland Perthshire Conservative councillor John Duff said: “I want to see our roads services move ahead at top speed to catch up and overtake where the condition of our roads needs to be.
“With the potholes of the previous winter unable to be properly addressed during 2020 due to the pandemic and the restrictions imposed on road works last year, this has naturally affected present road conditions.
“I hope that this significant additional investment will speed up repairs and resurfacing now that the better weather is approaching.”
The approved motion pledged £200,000 over the next two years to
“provide targeted resources aimed at getting all children disadvantaged by long periods of home learning back on track with their studies”.
There will also be a further £136,000 invested in PKC’s virtual campus. Cllr Lyle told councillors they were working with neighbouring Angus and Dundee City councils to provide a Tayside-wide virtual campus.
The Liberal Democrats removed their amendment after council leader Murray Lyle conceded to incorporate Lib Dem proposals into the Conservative motion.
This included increased funding from £20,000 to £35,000 for community gritting initiatives, upping their investment in digital, financial and social inclusion to £150,000, £70,000 for a voluntary/befriending wellbeing service and £80,000 to support and train volunteers.
After the meeting Lib Dem group leader councillor Peter Barrett told the PA: “The impact the Liberal Democrats have exerted on the final council budget is amply evidenced today. Every single line of our amendment has been incorporated into the budget.
“We highlighted where the Conservatives budget fell far short of supporting the most vulnerable members of our community. It is to the council leader’s credit that the Conservatives recognised these shortcomings and made the changes required.”
Cllr Lyle also incorporated two Independent/Labour group proposals - £40,000 for community safety measures in Crieff and a £480,000 investment over the next two years for a community ranger service.
After the meeting Cllr Lyle told the PA the community ranger service would “enhance” their visitor management funding put in place in response to the dirty camping and visitor issues in the region.
He said: “I am aware Cllr McDade has seen this work in the Cairngorms National Park and it has worked in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.”
When the Independent and Labour group’s amendment failed to be voted through to the final stage, all three Independents supported the Conservative motion while Labour councillor Alasdair Bailey abstained.
The SNP amendment was only supported by the 13 SNP councillors.
SNP group leader Cllr Laing said their amendment had “people as its driving force” and aimed to “give residents financial breathing space”.
SNP councillor Andrew Parrott told the PA: “The main Tory thrust is promoting a prosperous sustainable and inclusive economy area. The SNP thrust is in the supporting people to live independent, healthy and active lives.”
The Conservatives pledged £1.3m to support economic recovery.
Cllr Lyle told the PA he was “surprised” at the “omission” of support to business recovery in the SNP budget.
He said: “That’s probably why they did not get support anywhere else today.”
The SNP had countered Perth and Kinross Council’s proposed 10p increase to school meals with a 20p decrease to the cost of a school meal.
SNP councillor John Rebbeck said: “It reflects the potential direction of travel - if there is electoral success for the SNP in May then all primary school meals will be free by August next year. That’s lunch and breakfast.”
The Independent and Labour group put recurring funding in place for breakfast clubs and after-school clubs in their amendment.
Labour councillor Alasdair Bailey said: “This is the only budget that secures the future of breakfast clubs in our schools. Yes, the Scottish Government might fund them but we must not make assumptions about the outcome of May’s election.
“This budget gives kids and parents the certainty that Perth and Kinross Council is ready to support their breakfast clubs in years to come regardless of what central government does.”
Cllr Bailey also said while he supported the SNP’s proposal to invest £250,000 in social prescribing, he was “really surprised” at the “measly” £80,000 additional funding the SNP proposed for a feasibility study for the PH20 project to create a new swimming pool and ice rink in Perth.
He said: “PH20 doesn’t need another feasibility study, it needs capital funding - that’s why we’re putting £5m in the bank to support the build.
“I was shocked that after their previous very vocal criticism of the Tories for kicking this project down the road, the SNP only propose a measly £80,000 for the project.”
A total of 25 Independent, Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors supported the Conservative budget.
All 13 SNP councillors voted for the substantive SNP amendment.
Labour councillor Alasdair Bailey abstained.
Rather than make knee-jerk reactions, we will continue to adopt a prudent approach to revenue budget setting