Scottish Borders Council are likely to have their budget reduced further due to double counting of criminal justice money by the Scottish Government.
It has been reported that provisional local government settlements announced in December 2017 included a block of funding, ring fenced for criminal justice, which was allocated to two separate areas. Across Scotland, this is expected to result in a further £86 million reduction in council budgets.
Scottish Borders Council had already started planning next year’s finances but now understand that their budget is likely to be lower than the Scottish Government indicated, due to this blunder.
In response, local politicians have pointed out that thanks the decision by the Scottish Government to raid council budgets, Scottish Borders Council are facing its lowest ever financial settlement to pay for day to day services.
Despite the Scottish Government’s budget going up next year, Scottish Borders Council’s revenue budget is set to fall by just under £6m. Revenue budgets pays for day to day spending on frontline services provided by councils. Since 2013, SBC’s budget has been cut by £18.5m or nearly 9 per cent.
Council leader Shona Haslam said: “This mistake is quite unbelievable. The SNP need to be taking local government finances seriously. Front line services, the wellbeing of Borderers and our children’s education all depend on local councils being able to plan ahead with confidence.
“At this precise moment I have very little confidence in what we are being told by the Scottish Government and can only hope that once this matter is resolved no further issues will come to light.”
“We in Scottish Borders Council will be working hard over the next few weeks to ensure that we are doing everything that we can to protect front line services for the incompetence of the SNP Government.”
John Lamont MP added: “This double-counting is a huge embarrassment and suggests the Scottish Government’s whole budget process has been rushed.
“Despite having more money to spend next year, the Finance Secretary has decided to raid council budgets, which will undoubtedly put pressure on key frontline services.
“Scottish Borders Council are already facing their lowest ever revenue budget, but don’t even know how much the Scottish Government is likely to be giving them thanks to this latest blunder.”