Working together for the greater good
In an unprecedented showing of collegiate working, councillors from all parties across the Chamber last week unanimously backed a budget that will protect key frontline services across South Lanarkshire.
The budget was approved after negotiations between all groups, which resulted in a number of savings proposals, presented to the council by officers, being dropped.
All councils need to work particularly hard to secure value for money as they set out their plans to provide the vital services that residents rely upon.
All councillors expressed hope that this constructive approach to the 2020-21 budget can continue. This method of working collaboratively allowed every party, including the SNP administration, to express their views and defend the areas where they were not willing to accept cuts as we worked our way towards a budget that was acceptable to all.
It became apparent that there was much that the parties had in common and could agree upon, in particular with regard to protecting services in our schools.
Through our budget we have maintained teacher numbers and the classroom materials budget, leisure centre opening hours will not be reduced, a proposed new parking permit charge has been dropped, and while councils have the ability to increase their Council Tax by 4.84 per cent this year, South Lanarkshire agreed a three per cent increase, acknowledging the financial pressures faced by ordinary people.
Earlier this month, the council’s housing and technical resources committee also approved the 2020/21 housing capital programme which sees over £97m being invested into maintaining and improving council houses across South Lanarkshire and in continuing to build new, high standard homes. It is expected 455 new council houses will be completed in the year.
Concerns we hear on the doorsteps are that politicians “are all as bad as each other” and people are “sick of the arguing and point scoring” in politics.
With this budget, we have shown the people of South Lanarkshire that there is another way to do politics, working together to the benefit of those who elected us.
I really hope that we can continue to find common ground and work together, despite our poltical differences, in the weeks and months ahead.