Dundee LibDems agree SNP budget forcing councils to cut public services
Dundee Liberal Democrats today (Saturday 29th March) gave their backing to comments by Liberal Democrat Shadow Finance Secretary, Tavish Scott MSP, that the SNP Government's budget has led to public services cuts right across Scotland.
Speaking in a debate in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Scott condemned the funding settlement given to local authorities, which has resulted in a programme of cuts and closures.
Mr Scott said, "The Liberal Democrats asked the Government time after time to guarantee that local services would not be cut as a result of the SNP's budget decisions.
"We never received an answer, which is unsurprising given the scale of cuts to public services in the past few months.
"The impact is severe, and will become even more so in the next two financial years. COSLA, local authority finance chiefs and independent commentators all state that the settlement to come is tight, eye wateringly tight."
Here in Dundee, LibDem Council Group Leader, Cllr Fraser Macpherson, said, "A particular negative impact of SNP government decisions has been the cut in the City's community regeneration funding - a real cut of £230 000 affecting communities in the City."