Fears over funding raised with Scottish Government

Further cuts to local authority funding would be “disastrous” for frontline services, Perth and Kinross Council leader Ian Campbell has warned.

He has appealed to Finance Secretary Derek Mackay ahead of next week’s Scottish Government budget announcement.

“I am writing to urge you not to impose further cuts on the local authority budgets,” said Mr Campbell in his letter. “According to COSLA, local authorities have seen a real terms cut in their funding allocations from your government of 8% since 2010, a substantially higher proportion than any reduction in your overall discretionary resource in the same period. These cuts are already affecting frontline services relied on by the public.

“Any further cuts would undoubtedly mean an even greater impact, at a time when council tax has increased on most households, in some cases substantially.”

Ideallly the Conservative councillor said he would like to see the grant to local authorities increased but he feared the worst.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have treated local government very fairly despite the £213 million cuts to the Scottish Budget from the UK Government in real terms.

“The 2017-18 local government finance settlement, including the increase in council tax and Health and Social Care Integration funding, means that local government have an extra £383 million, or 3.7%, in support for services compared to 2016-17.

“Perth and Kinross Council’s share of this total amounted to an extra £13.1 million or 5.1%. Local council funding for 201819 will be confirmed next week.”