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Council cuts rise to £43 million |
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Friday, 10 February 2006 |
 The SNP criticised the huge cuts proposed by Labour at Thursday's budget meeting of the whole Council. Not only were demonstrations taking place outside the building concerning £31 million of publicised cuts but at the meeting Labour proposed a further £12 million of cuts which had not previously been announced.
John Mason called this way of setting the budget "bizarre and set in a Victorian time warp". He said, "This century is meant to be a time of consultation before major decisions are made. Yet there was less public consultation than in recent years on the original £31 million cuts. And to announce an extra £12 million cuts at the meeting may make for good theatre but does not make for open and accountable decision making. The fear is that unsustainable cuts are being made to council services in order to please the Labour led Scottish Executive. Is there some kind of secret deal between Jack McConnell and Stephen Purcell?"
The SNP homed in on £5 million of the worst cuts and forced a vote against these.
Download SNP budget amendment |
