Tories slam SNP for shifting blame

Tory councillors have accused the SNP-Labour administration of treating council tax payers with contempt over the consultation arrangements.

Scottish Conservatives group leader Neil Benny called on council leader Scott Farmer to demand more cash for councils from the SNP government at Holyrood.

“As far as the SNP is concerned everything is someone else’s fault rather than their inept running of the Scottish Government,”said Councillor Benny. “They demanded responsibility and were given it but, despite £2 billion extra for Scotland announced in the recent UK Government budget, they still persist in trying to shift the blame.

“The SNP in Stirling should have the backbone to stand up to their Holyrood government that has left us with another gaping hole in our finances.

“They also have the barefaced cheek to say that public engagement is important to them after they have deliberately left it to the last possible moment to consult.

“They should be ashamed of themselves for treating the people of Stirling with utter contempt.”

A Stirling Council employee, who asked not to be named, was also scathing about the consultation period.

“It’s extremely concerning that the administration of the council is only now, at this very late stage, publishing its budget proposals,”they said.

“This leaves very little time for the public to be properly consulted over what are serious issues and this will undoubtedly be a source of concern and anxiety for staff and the public.” Trossachs and Teith Tory councillor Martin Earl, a member of the previous Labour-Conservative ruling administration, said: “Our consultations regarding the budget started in mid October/November and even when it was not going to be comfortable reading the proposals were always put out without any massaging from the administration.

“People should be really angry about this managing of what should be a proper consultative process.”