Council are ready to defy budget deadline
South Lanarkshire Council will not accept the Scottish Government’s grant offer before the deadline this Friday – despite threats of a cut in cash.
Councils across Scotland had been told by finance secretary Derek Mackay they would need to agree to the settlement by January 20 or risk more cuts.
However, with the SNP government still trying to secure support that will get their budget through parliament, council leader Eddie Mcavoy said the Labour-led local authority are not in a position to “accept or decline”the offer.
Mr Mackay had originally given councils until January 13 to accept the offer but extended this to January 20. The council scrapped a special meeting at the beginning of the year as the Holyrood budget had not yet been passed by parliament.
Councillors will next get a chance to discuss the funding package on Wednesday, February 8, at an executive committee.
The local authority are facing having to make over £22 million of cuts to public services to balance the books. Council leader Eddie Mcavoy said:“i cannot accept or reject the offer because I do not have the information from the Scottish Government.” A Scottish Government spokeswoman said:“we have treated local government very fairly, despite the cuts to the Scottish budget from the UK Government. We are required by statute to consult on the terms of the local government settlement ahead of the final stages of the budget in order to pass the required legislation. “The Scottish Government has been clear from the outset that it wants to work in partnership with local government. The package of funding on offer this year, once agreed, does not contain such sanctions. The cabinet secretary’s letter to councils is clear, however, on the likely outcome for those authorities not agreeing the offer in the first instance. It is now up to each authority to accept the full package of measures and benefits.”