ALL Scottish Tory councillors will submit "every possible bid" to a UK Government funding scheme if successfully elected.
The party has pledged that their candidates in the upcoming council elections will apply to Westminster's Levelling Up Fund, which provides direct investment to councils for local projects.
The scheme has been controversial in Scotland as Holyrood ministers say they are not being consulted and it is an attempt at a power-grab by Westminster.
However Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said the extra cash "can only be a good thing".
He said: "The SNP can shout about power grabs all they like but what’s really important is the money reaches Scotland’s communities, not which Government is spending it.”
A total of £190 million has gone to Scotland from the fund, the Tories said, with £172 million coming from bids made under the Levelling Up scheme and £18 million from the Community Renewal Fund, with areas including Aberdeen, Falkirk, and Dumfries having benefited already.
Speaking ahead of a visit to the Crichton Trust in Dumfries, one of the beneficiaries of funding, Mr Ross said: “UK Government Levelling Up and Community Renewal funds have the potential to boost local economies, deliver jobs and rejuvenate communities across Scotland.”
He claimed some SNP-run councils “didn’t even bother to apply for these funds”, but added that “many nationalist-run administrations ignored the SNP Government’s rhetoric and submitted applications”.
He added: “Electing more Scottish Conservative councillors will give each local area the best shot at securing more investment for transformational projects.
SNP MP Mhairi Black, however, urged Scots to vote for her party to elect “SNP councillors who will work tirelessly for communities, and to cast a verdict on Tory Government’s dire record and blatant power grab move”.
Ms Black said: “Beyond the Tory smoke and mirrors, the reality is that there is a litany of figures amounting to a staggering £5.46 billion exposing how Tory Westminster governments have form on short-changing Scotland.
“When it comes to Levelling Up funding, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove led a Brexit campaign that promised £1.5 billion a year for Scottish devolved services when the UK left the EU.
“Instead all we have heard announced is £172 million. To put that in context, for every £1 they promised they’ve given 11 pence – Scotland has been short-changed by 89%.”
She added: “This Westminster Tory Government has presided over a series of power grabs and attacks on devolution – seeking to bypass the devolved Governments and dictate spending over devolved areas.
“Rather than standing up for Scotland’s communities and interests, the Scottish Tories are more interested in falling into line behind their Westminster bosses and selling out Scotland.”
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