Why Edinburgh needs fair funding, not SNP and Tory spin, to tackle real issues – Cammy Day

Westminster’s failure to set a budget is bringing increased uncertaintly to our ability to properly run Edinburgh, says Cammy Day.
Cammy Day says a tourist levy and other local powers must be devolved to local government (Picture: PA)Cammy Day says a tourist levy and other local powers must be devolved to local government (Picture: PA)
Cammy Day says a tourist levy and other local powers must be devolved to local government (Picture: PA)

Following discussions at Edinburgh Council’s Finance and Resources Committee on Friday, we’re now only a few days away from setting our 2020/21 budget for the city.

Despite spin from the Scottish Government, the current draft budget proposals will lead to a continuation of the unacceptable cuts to local government across Scotland. This despite an additional £37 million being found for Police Scotland and increased investment in health and social care of more than £1 billion, taking total spending to £15 billion.

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Now, of course, I’m not denying the need for appropriate investment in these areas but, by comparison, here in Edinburgh, we’re having to cut £34.8m from our budget next year; £87m over the next three years.

Cammy Day is the deputy leader of Edinburgh City CouncilCammy Day is the deputy leader of Edinburgh City Council
Cammy Day is the deputy leader of Edinburgh City Council

This presents us with some extremely difficult decisions to make in schools, leisure and further impacts through the loss of council colleagues who deliver services to the city day-in, day-out.

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Let’s not pretend that anyone is happy to be in the position where the city is forced to find £30 million of savings, with caps on our local taxation and limited powers to bring in additional income. Whichever party or parties are in power in Edinburgh, they would still require to find these cuts and efficiencies.

These are only some of the issues that councillors are dealing with here in our capital city. A successful, vibrant city that still has around 80,000 of our citizens in poverty.

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For us it is by protecting the most vulnerable in the city, delivering new schools and hubs, investing in preventative health and social care, protecting staff from compulsory redundancy and continuing to have positive relationships with our trade union colleagues.

That’s why a tourist levy and other local powers must be devolved to local government immediately, to allow local democratically elected councillors to make local decisions on behalf of local residents.

Westminster’s failure to set a budget brings continued uncertainty to the city and to councils across the country, along with spin and diversions from our Tory colleagues and SNP ministers, and simply diverts from the real issues; real issues that we are addressing head on as an administration.

The Poverty Commission, which we set up in 2018, will soon report its findings, which will require a strong, collective response from the city; a Climate Commission, launching later this week, with its bold and ambitious targets to achieve; a City Mobility Plan out for consultation as we seek to make our city fit for a sustainable future. A city where every resident has the opportunity to share in its success.

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I would urge you to lobby your local MSP and MP to fight for Fairer Funding for Edinburgh.

A bold new vision for Granton

We’ve made a bold commitment to become a net-zero carbon city by 2030 and the regeneration of Granton offers the perfect opportunity for us to help to deliver this.

Granton Waterfront will become a leading example of sustainable development, creating hundreds of new jobs linked to growth of new services, business, leisure and creative industries and will strengthen the retail and small businesses that already exist.

An exhibition outlining the plans is about to open in Edinburgh College (from 20 February–6 March). I’d encourage everyone interested in this exciting vision for the area to go along and find out more.

Cammy Day is the deputy leader of Edinburgh City Council