Money for potholes is not enough
Tories blast cash share
Extra cash earmarked to help Stirling Council repair damage caused to the roads during the harsh winter weather has been described as “underwhelming”.
The Observer reported last Wednesday how the authority is to get a share of an additional £10 million made available to the country’s 32 councils by the Scottish Government to tackling the soaring cost of the repairs.
COSLA will decide on how the money should be allocated but currently the distribution mechanism is unclear, but the Stirling Conservatives say the sum will be “insignificant”.
An equal split of the £10 million among the 32 local authorities would equate to more than £300,000.
Stirling Conservative environment spokesperson, Councillor Ross Oxburgh said: “Any money is welcome but let’s get this in proportion, it’s hardly a game changer. Some gesture politics and crowing over this insignificant allocation is hardly worth it. The SNP have had ten years in control to sort out our roads. Had they not wasted millions over the years they could have made a significant contribution instead of this pitiful amount.”
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP, Dean Lockhart added: “Any additional resources will of course be welcomed by Stirling Council but let’s be honest, this insignificant allocation is hardly worth it.
“Not only does this fail to address the chronic long term lack of investment on local roads after years of reductions to local council budgets, it isn’t even a drop in the ocean of what is needed to make Scotland’s roads fit for purpose.”
SNP Forth and Endrick Councillor Graham Lambie said: “Under five wasted years of Tory control at Stirling Council, money to our roads network was savagely cut and the condition of the network deteriorated. However, Tories are always at the front of the queue for brass necks, and now we have them complaining about a significant additional financial allocation from the Scottish Government on top of the £1 million uplift to a total of £4.5 million in roads spending announced in the SNP-led council administration’s budget – which the Tories voted for.
“It was the SNP and Labour administration at Stirling Council which moved to allocate £750,000 in additional resources to be spent on the roads network after the spell of severe weather last month - on top of the increased budget allocation – which the brass-necked Tories are now seeking to claim some kind of undeserved credit for.”
Any additonal resources will be welcome