Mackay’s budget open to compromise

Confident: Finance secretary’s door is open to constructive talks

The finance secretary has said his door is open to “constructive talks” to ensure his Scottish Budget will pass.

Derek Mackay said he recognised he would need to compromise as he is in a minority government, however he is confident that it will be approved.

Unveiling the Scottish Government’s 2018-19 draft budget on Thursday, Mr Mackay announced that councils will have an increase in “core funding” of £94 million – adding that if authorities increase council tax charges by the maximum of 3%, this would raise a further £77 million. He also ended the public sector pay freeze.

The Greens have said they could not support the budget as it stands because there is a “real terms cut in the local government revenue budget” but say they could do so if more money was allocated to councils.

However Mr Mackay insisted he had given local authorities a fair deal.

Speaking on a visit to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow yesterday, he said: “For local government I’ve given them a very fair settlement. They were forecasting a 3% reduction and that’s £300 million of a reduction, that’s not what I’m proposing.

“I’m proposing flat cash that’s about the same amount of money with more

“

What I’m describing is I’ve protected their budgets, I’ve enhanced capital budgets for local authorities. FINANCE SECRETARY DEREK MACKAY

Derek Mackay, second right, watches a teaching session on CPR in a simulated ward environment at the Teaching and Learning Centre, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow. Picture: PA.