Council leader backs funding plea
THE leader of Inverclyde Council has backed calls from COSLA for greater funding for local authorities and a reversal of historical budget cuts.
Councillor Stephen McCabe is lending his support to the ‘Live Well Locally’ campaign launched today (Monday 15 November 2021) by the council umbrella body.
It is calling on the government to take urgent action to address the consequences of real term cuts to the core budgets of Scotland’s 32 councils in recent years and comes ahead of the Scottish budget announcement on 9 December.
Councillor McCabe said: “We’re acutely aware here in Inverclyde of the negative impact of historical budget cuts on the services we deliver and the knock-on effect that has on our residents.
“Councils are having to do more with less resources and it’s simply not sustainable if we want to continue delivering high-quality services for the areas and people we serve.
“Local authorities have the knowledge, expertise and people to make positive changes in their communities but we need the financial support in order to do that and that’s why I’m supporting COSLA’s ‘Live Well Locally’ campaign to ensure a fair funding settlement for local government, especially in this crucial period of recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
COSLA LAUNCHES BUDGET LOBBYING CAMPAIGN WITH CALL FOR REVERSAL OF HISTORICAL CUTS
COSLA is today (Monday) calling for adequate funding from the Scottish Government and a reversal of historical cuts as it launches its Budget Lobbying Campaign, ‘Live Well Locally’.
COSLA says urgent action is needed to address the consequences of real term cuts to the core budgets of Scotland’s 32 Councils in recent years.
The call comes as Finance Secretary Kate Forbes prepares to lay out the government’s spending plans in the Scottish Budget on December 9.
COSLA says Local Government can no longer continue to be the ‘poor relation’ it has been in recent Budgets and that December 9 presents a perfect opportunity to reset Scottish public spending in a way that empowers councils to achieve their ambition for our communities.
Speaking at a virtual news conference in Edinburgh, the COSLA President, Councillor Alison Evison, said: “Enabling people to ‘Live Well Locally’ is a shared ambition across Scottish Government and Local Government, but the resources must be provided to deliver this at a local level in line with local democratic choice.
“Sadly cuts to Councils’ core budgets over recent years have not allowed us to fully realise this shared ambition.”
COSLA’s Vice President, Councillor Graham Houston, said: “The fact is that Scotland’s Councils are key to creating the conditions for people within our communities to ‘Live Well Locally’, whether that’s on a remote farm or in a city centre.
“People’s local environment has become even more important during the pandemic and Local Government must be empowered and funded properly to allow us to create the environment for people to ‘Live Well Locally.’ Recovery needs to start locally to tackle the key issues facing our communities and local leadership is needed for that.”
COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, added: “Tackling the economic and health challenges created by the pandemic needs a local dimension – all the evidence and research backs this up.
“We fully support Scottish Government’s ambitions around economic transformation but that starts in every community.
“Local Government has been the poor relation of recent Budgets and our local knowledge and links need to be used fully before we are past the point of no return. Our communities are starting to show the neglect of an under-funded Local Government.
“Quite simply, what we need from this Budget is proper funding to provide the everyday services our communities need and deserve.”
Read the 'Live Well Locally' document at https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2021/cosla-launches-budget-lobbying-campaign.