Key worker hubs among frontline services at risk over council funds

Frontline services in the battle against coronavirus like social care, Test and Protect, and key worker hubs may be at risk without a major funding injection to keep them going, MSPS have been told.

Councils in Scotland are facing a £100 million black hole in their budgets as a result of the pandemic and this is likely to grow in the months ahead, local government body Cosla warned.

Town halls across Scotland have also yet to receive a £155 million cash boost they are due, which was provided to the Scottish Government from the UK Treasury in April, Cosla president Alison Evison told Holyrood’s local government committee yesterday.

Local councils have also been pivotal in delivering the “shielding” service, which is aimed at protecting individuals at greatest risk from the pandemic, Ms Evison said. They also provide essential services at the heart of the Covid-19 response in areas like social care and the Test and Protect regime. In addition, councils are responsible for getting schools up and running again, as well as retaining the key worker hubs. “We cannot do this without extra funding – it just cannot be done,” she warned.

“So we need to carry on those talks with the Scottish Government, we need to work together with the UK government as well and lobby for support from the UK government at that level. Because otherwise we cannot deliver.”

Prior to the pandemic, councils had already been experiencing major funding cuts, Ms Evison told the committee.

Councils are facing a net additional cost of about £100m until the end of this month.

This takes into account the extra £80m provided by the Scottish Government and £155m of consequentials which have been committed.