Labour’s “fairer alternative” defeated at council budget meeting

Labour’s plans for a Council Budget that delivered for key workers, the frontline and those most in need was defeated by South Lanarkshire Council.

South Lanarkshire Council HQ

Estimates suggest South Lanarkshire Council will be under-funded by £53 million in the coming financial year.

The centrepiece of Labour’s alternative budget was a £250 ‘thank you’ payment to the Council’s pandemic workforce, recognising the workers who have sustained South Lanarkshire throughout the Covid-19 pandemic but are not eligible to receive a £500 payment to health workers from the Scottish Government.

Despite announcing a number of investment initiatives, the Council’s budget still includes cuts of over £5 million and the loss of over 100 posts.

If more resources became available, Labour’s plan was to increase the payment.

Labour would also have invested £2 million more in frontline services, boosted the School Clothing Grant by £100 for this year and brought forward the expansion of Free School Meals to this summer.

Like the other parties, we found £10 million to invest in new projects but, unlike the other parties, we didn’t rely on over £5 million of spending cuts to get there.

Cllr Joe Fagan

Proposals passed by a cross-party group of councillors will instead ramp up school meal charges, bring cuts to classrooms, cut back grounds services and see vital IT posts go when the Council is more reliant than ever on remote access. 

 

Councillor Joe Fagan

Councillor Joe Fagan: “Labour put forward a costed, credible Budget Alternative, keeping cuts to a minimum and investing in frontline services.”

Leader of South Lanarkshire’s Labour Opposition, Councillor Joe Fagan said:

After a decade of cuts, this budget would always be challenging but it’s disappointing that the Council didn’t choose to invest more in the frontline, in those who need us most or in our key workers.

Labour put forward a costed, credible Budget Alternative, keeping cuts to a minimum and investing in frontline services. Like the other parties, we found £10 million to invest in new projects but, unlike the other parties, we didn’t rely on over £5 million of spending cuts to get there. What the Administration give with one hand, they take away with another.

Our plans would have delivered a bonus payment for the Council’s pandemic workforce, paid an extra £100 with this year’s School Clothing Grant and brought forward the expansion of Free School Meals to this year. We would also have invested in a £2 million Frontline First Fund to strengthen frontline services and help them recover from the pandemic.

There was common ground with the Administration if they wanted to work with us but they were wedded to a deal with the Council’s right-wingers and the parties giving them an easy ride on funding cuts.

We didn’t participate in cross-party talks because they wouldn’t accept our conditions – that cuts to School Breakfast Clubs, Holiday Lunch Clubs and childcare Free from the age of 3 were taken off the table from day one. They didn’t take those cuts off the table until the last minute and they caused unnecessary distress.

The Council has been forced to consult on appalling cuts because of the financial position it is placed in by the Scottish Government.

Councillor Fagan also explained why SNP claims that the budget settlement South Lanarkshire received from the Scottish Government was anything but generous, saying:

Based on COSLA figures, we estimate that South Lanarkshire Council has been short-changed by £53 million this year.

We understand that Councils have tough choices to make but we cannot understand why the other parties can’t unite with us to demand a fair funding package for local services. That gives us all more to invest in the community.

The SNP have not just voted against their own priorities on Budget Day, like extending free school meals, they even voted against demands from our workforce that the Council the SNP is supposed to lead gets a fair funding settlement. Why should anyone expect them to stand up for South Lanarkshire when they won’t even stand up for themselves?

What could have been a Day of Change for South Lanarkshire Council, was a Day of Shame and the community deserves so much better.

 

Despite announcing a number of investment initiatives, the Council’s budget still includes cuts of over £5 million and the loss of over 100 posts.

 

24th February 2021

Posted by HLSLabour

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