Midlothian Council one of of five to have '˜overspent' on winter maintenance

Midlothian Council are one of five councils in Scotland to overspend on their winter maintenance budgets.

At least five local authorities are already set to overspend their winter maintenance budgets in a bid to keep snow-hit roads open.

According to a report in the Herald, Midlothian Council said it had “slightly overspent” its £907,000 winter maintenance budget adding that the money spend over budget “would put a strain on the council’s overall budget”.

Speaking to The Herald, David Kennedy of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities said: “Demand for all our services outstrips our ability to pay for them as our [Fair Funding For Essential Services] document showed.

“Councils main concerns are public safety and keeping roads clear and people moving.

Will it snow again in Edinburgh? Your hour by hour forecast

“Like any budget decision, individual spend is rightly and properly a matter for local discretion based on local need and circumstance.

“What I can say generally is cuts to local government certainly don’t help the situation.”

A Scottish Government spokesman it had “continued to ensure” that local government received a “fair funding settlement” despite further cuts to the Scottish budget.

Other councils that had overspent included Aberdeen and Highlands council.

A yellow warning has been issued over the next few days with snow and winter conditions expected until after the weekend in Edinburgh and the Lothians.