New research has highlighted the extent of the Scottish Government’s decision to slash Scottish Borders Council’s budget, with further cuts expected this week.
Ahead of the Scottish Government’s budget for 2017-18, new research carried out by the independent Scottish Parliament’s Information Service (SPICe) has concluded that since 2013-14, the amount of money the Scottish Government has to spend has risen by over £1 billion. This is a rise of 3.4 per cent in real terms, taking into account inflation.
However, since 2013-14, Scottish Borders Council’s budget was cut by £8 million, a fall of 3.9 per cent in real terms. This included a 6.5 per cent cut to the Council’s revenue budget, which is the money spent on front line services. Further cuts are expected this year.
With further cuts to council budgets expected on Thursday, local politicians have said these figures destroy the Scottish Government’s excuse that it is having to cut budgets for local services because of Westminster.
John Lamont MP said: “No amount of bluster can escape what these figures clearly tell us. At a time when the Scottish Government’s budget went up by 3.4 per cent, Scottish Borders Council’s budget was cut by 3.9 per cent. This shows that the cuts to local services are coming from the SNP Scottish Government.
“Given the SNP were in charge at SBC when these decisions were made, many people will question why Councillors didn’t once criticise the cuts coming from their bosses in Holyrood.
John added: “Following the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget, the Scottish Government once again has more money to spend next year. The Finance Secretary cannot blame someone else any more. If he chooses to cut frontline services then that is his decision and it cannot be blamed on
Notes to Editors
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2013-14 is used as a starting point because before then, policing budgets used to form part of the Council budget, meaning comparisons cannot be made before that year. The figure used for the Scottish Government budget is it’s Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL), which is the budget allocated and spend by the Government. Total Managed Expenditure (TME) includes money spent outside budgetary control, on things like pensions and welfare. If this figure is used, the Scottish Government’s budget has risen by an even greater percentage