This year’s Scottish budget should focus on “tackling the root causes” of poverty, Cosla has said.
Cosla, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, has called upon the Scottish Government to invest in local authorities as a means of alleviating poverty in Scotland.
The call comes before the upcoming Scottish Budget announcement tomorrow.
Ahead of the announcement, Cosla’s children and young people spokesperson, councillor Tony Buchanan, said: “If Scotland is to make progress towards alleviating and eradicating poverty, this year’s Scottish Budget must focus on tackling the root causes, with a greater prioritisation of local prevention and early-intervention work – and councils are key to this.
“This means investment in the essential social supports provided every day by councils, in schools, in local community hubs, at the right place, at the right time.
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“If the core services aimed at supporting and empowering people to reach their full potential are eroded, as they have been over the last few years as a result of cuts to our core Budgets, then tackling poverty in Scotland will continue to be a significant challenge.
“Action to address poverty and deprivation was noted as a key priority for Scotland in the concluding report on children’s services reform research published by CELCIS last week and reinforces the importance of the shared priority within the Verity House Agreement.”
Mr Buchanan added: “For too long now, the financial settlement for local government has meant that councils have had to cut spend to services which are needed to tackle poverty – whether they are youth work, social work support or breakfast clubs.
“This year’s Budget presents the opportunity to reverse this trend, to invest in communities and realise our ambitions to tackle poverty in Scotland.
“Without a fair settlement for councils in tomorrow’s Budget, the poverty gap in Scotland will continue to grow.
“Investing in local government is key to a fairer Scotland.”
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Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: “Tackling poverty and inequality is a key mission for the Scottish Government and a shared priority with local government under the Verity House Agreement.
“In the face of the most challenging budget settlement since devolution, we are doing everything within our powers to tackle poverty and target resources at those most in need.
“We are providing funding to deliver the services that people rely on most, along with a ten-year programme of public service reform.
“We are working with Cosla to establish a new fiscal framework for councils, and decisions on local government budget allocations for future years are subject to the outcome of discussion with Cosla.”
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