Social cuts claim of £175m so‘misleading’ Dear Editor

Paul Gillespie’s claim [Advertiser View, November 29] that the Scottish Government has cut £175 million funding from North Lanarkshire Council since 2007 is grossly misleading.

First, the vast bulk of social work funding has simply been transferred from local authorities to the NHS – who now spend this money instead of the council, so no cut there.

Mr Gillespie’s own figures showing a “rise” in Scottish Government expenditure since 2009 simply illustrate that, due to inflation, this is a fall in real terms.

Over the years from 2010-2011 to 2019-20, the UK government will have cut Scottish Government spending by a massive £2.9 billion in real terms. Next year’s Scottish Government revenue budget faces a real-terms £239m cut.

Mr Gillespie’s “additional £2bn funding to the Scottish Government” from the Chancellor’s recent budget sounds good – but this is spread over four years and £1.1bn is ringfenced by Westminster for limited purposes and has to be fully repaid to the Treasury.

Labour-run North Lanarkshire saw no need to raise council tax last year, even after the 10-year SNP freeze had been lifted. The SNP government had allowed them to raise £3.9m last year if they so wished; and, in fact, North Lanarkshire’s funding increased in the Scottish Government budget in February.

Schools in the area received pupil equity funding of £8.8m, plus £7.7m from the Scottish attainment fund; there was also increased council tax revenue of £4m because the Scottish Government raised the bands for more expensive properties.

The Scottish Government also funds 34 per cent of North Lanarkshire’s new council housing (£59,000 per house), 66 per cent of the cost for each newbuild secondary school and 50 per cent for each primary; then there is the annual funding for home insulation and the Scottish Government £500m share of the city deal, with more benefits for the council.

The SNP government is supporting North Lanarkshire council in the face of UK Tory austerity. That’s why the SNP group on the education committee moved for “no change” and “no consultation” on current bus transport provision for school pupils.

Sadly,we were defeated 18-17 by the Labour convener’s casting vote.