COSLA has demanded an urgent meeting with the First Minister and Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, warning that the Scottish Government’s billion-pound cut to budgets will mean “fewer jobs and cuts to services.”
Tuesday’s Resource Spending Review saw local government funding frozen for the rest of the parliament, implying big council tax rises from next spring and potential cuts to schools, social work, cleansing, parks, libraries, local roads, and other council services.
In their analysis, the IFS said it would amount to a 7 per cent cut to budgets over the next four years.
COSLA said the government’s “flat-cash” scenario in a time of rampant inflation meant “extremely limited scope for recognising the essential work of our staff, whose expectations around pay continue to be, quite rightly, influenced by Scottish Government’s decisions in relation to other parts of public sector.”
Resources Spokesperson Gail Macgregor said “Every year at Budget time, COSLA argues for fair funding for Local Government to maintain the essential services our communities rely on.
“No increase in our core funding damages these services and yesterday’s announcement will see this continue for at least the next three years. Our communities are starting to see and feel the difference”
Earlier today, Ms Forbes denied the spending plans would have an impact on frontline services.
“We've set out a resource spending review that I think is fair. I think it protects local government because we need local government in order to deliver our core objectives like tackling child poverty.
“But at the end of the day, out of less resource, where the budget has been cut by 5.2% versus last year, and growth of only 2% over the next four years, if we exclude Social Security, it's very challenging.
“So my job has been to try and treat all parts of the public sector fairly, but also to prioritise our objectives.”
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