Finance Secretary must admit his part in dire state of Scottish council purses
It is worrying that Finance Secretary Derek Mackay should apparently have such a poor grasp of public finance.
He has warned that most local authorities intend to raise council tax by 3 per cent, saying (your report, 8 February) “the intelligence I have that most councils are telling me, that they are intending to...raise council tax by up to 3 per cent”. Really? When, in the case of Edinburgh, for example, the SNP government’s budget cut funding by £12 million, and the deal with the Greens has not reversed all of the cut, Edinburgh still being left with a residual 0.4 per cent cut, why should Mr Mackay be surprised that councils are looking to increase council tax by 3 per cent? Does he really think none of this is his responsibility?
Edinburgh council’s SNP leader has said the settlement is a positive deal for the capital, and he says it is clear the council will now be able to invest significantly in priority areas, such as social care. It is difficult to see how this is possible with an overall cut.
It also has to be remembered that the Scottish Government scrapped the pay cap and promised 3 per cent pay rises for its employees, leaving local councils to work out what to do with their workers. A 3 per cent rise would cost millions, where is that coming from?
The SNP shouts loud enough about the budget settlement from the UK Government, but when it comes to their own actions in Scotland, the PR goes into overdrive and they spin the budget process for all it is worth, hoping no one looks at the figures too closely.
But the truth is that there is no extra money for councils, the rise for local authority workers is unfunded, and to balance the books there will have to be cuts.
There is no extra money for priority areas. Nothing to address the problems in social care. Nor the potholes, or the bins.
It does not take much intelligence to work out that councils are having to increase council tax by 3 per cent and despite that, the services we all depend on will still be cut.
PHIL TATE Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh