Budget cuts will hit hard

Now that the budget has been set by West Lothian Council, it is important that the residents of West Lothian are aware of how we have got here, the challenges that have been faced and the truth behind recent assertions of others.

Despite the increase in real terms from the UK Government to Scotland in funding for 2018-2019, West Lothian is facing a budget gap over the next five years of £65.3m, due to the underfunding of local government by the SNP at Holyrood.

£13.9m of this shortage needs to be found in the next financial year, 20182019.

The West Lothian Conservative councillors would not have supported a budget that included the proposed cuts to the Ability Centre and Eliburn Support Centre, nor the loss of local bus subsidies or the removal of funding for instrumental music provision.

Whilst my Conservative colleagues and I are delighted these cuts have been avoided, we know other cuts have had to be made which will make changes to how services are delivered in West Lothian.

But make no mistake it is the fault of the SNP Scottish Government and only them, that West Lothian Council along with the other councils across Scotland are having to make these difficult decisions now.

Whilst funding from the UK to Scotland has increased in 2018-2019, and an extra £2bn has been allocated to Scotland to be spent over the next four years and the police and fire services have been taken out of VAT demands, we have a SNP government that reduces funding to councils and makes Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK.

The West Lothian Conservative councillors will make every effort to minimise the impact of these cuts to the residents of West Lothian and assure you we will continue to work hard for you. We are delighted that we have ensured the Ability and Eliburn Support Centres are not to be closed along with the other cuts we resisted, but we are aware we face difficult times ahead due to the incompetence of the SNP.