Perth councillors unite in face of crisis

Sir, – We as elected members of Perth City North realise that the cost-of-living crisis is impacting people across

our communities and that people are at breaking point compounded with the sharpest drop in household incomes on record. Thanks to a dramatic surge in inflation our constituents are having to deal with the terrible stress and worry of finances being stretched to the limit.

The cost-of-living crisis is affecting all sections of society in our ward, from families, single people, lone parents, workers, the elderly and disabled people. Every person in our community has been affected by the troubles and pain that the cost-of-living crisis has created.

This cost-of-living crisis is highlighting how the unfair inequalities that already exist in our society are impacting people within our ward and we all agree that it is imperative that party politics are put

aside and as Perth City North councillors we will work together to improve things for everyone in our community.

We are determined to

take collective action to ease the burden on our most vulnerable people who are already suffering in the most challenging of circumstances.

Working together to help those in need has already proved to be a successful approach to take, with the new SNP council administration working collaboratively with the other parties and the independent group in the first few months of being in charge to provide £600,000 investment in initiatives to those renting non-council properties and £104,000 for mitigating food insecurity during school holidays.

Then in August a £20,000 fund was set up in the form of winter clothing grants for schoolchildren; in September £470,000 of funding was agreed to help support people that will struggle this winter.

The leader of the council, Grant Laing, has promised that this collaborative way of working to support the people in Perth and Kinross during

the cost-of-living crisis will continue.

These cost-of-living motions were seconded by Perth and Kinross Labour Group and Labour councillor Brian Leishman, who has welcomed the cross-party nature of co-operation in this crisis, especially in his ward Perth City North.

People are, right now, facing a real struggle in our ward and as ward councillors for Perth City North, John Rebbeck, Ian Massie and Brian Leishman agree that the best way forward to assist our constituents in these times of need is for everyone in our community to work together and help improve things for all residents in these dire times, not party politics.

Coun John Rebbeck – Scottish National Party, Coun Ian Massie – Scottish National Party,

Coun Brian Leishman – Scottish Labour Party, Ward 11 Perth City North councillors.