How to spend less public money more efficiently - Joanna Mowat
The most important figure in the election on Thursday is the annual £5 billion gap in funding identified by the Auditor General for Scotland by the end of the next Parliament.
That gap means everyone should be asking potential MSPs not “What will you spend more money on” but “How will you close the gap?”
The Conservatives have clear set plans which show how we will close the gap. First we will bring together the Enterprise bodies and set up Growth Scotland focused on delivering growth in the economy – this will mean a smaller gap. More money in from growth means a smaller gap.
Second we will introduce Zero Based Budgeting for spending. Public Sector budgets work on a roll over principle – you had £X this year now you need £X perhaps plus inflation. Zero Based Budgeting asks services to examine every line of their budget and work out what they need and to cut money that isn’t delivering effectively.
I know this works because a Conservative Budget motion introduced this two years ago and this year Edinburgh delivered the lowest Council Tax increase of any Scottish Council – just above inflation but didn’t cut services.
Next year there will be more money saved. Audit Scotland have called this the only transformation project in local government in Scotland. And we need that transformation to increase and improve front line delivery and make sure that we spend your money better and more effectively.
We will also examine every quango and reduce numbers so that accountability for their outcomes is reported to, and scrutinised by Parliament. There is a proposal to add responsibility for whistleblowing to the duties of the Information Commissioner so that there is independent scrutiny, support and protection for whistleblowers.
There is a clear choice on Thursday between voting for the Scottish Conservatives who are honest about the challenges facing Scotland, have a clear plan to address them and increase accountability. We will also protect those who tell us where things aren’t working.
The other parties offer various undeliverable shopping lists which are fundamentally dishonest because they don’t add up.