Midlothian Council still faces ‘decimated’ services despite extra cash

Council leader Derek Milligan said the increased allocations for local authorities announced by Finance Minister Derek Mackay as part of a deal between the SNP and the Greens did little to ease funding pressures exacerbated by Midlothian’s status as Scotland’s fastest growing local authority.

The council has to bridge a £7.408 million budget gap and is looking at closing libraries and leisure centres, reducing road maintenance and cutting crossing patrols.

Councillor Milligan said: “What is being sold as an increase of £90m in funding for local government simply means that the huge cut in local authority budgets is slightly less huge.

“In Midlothian, we are still faced with a 1.5 per cent cut when our population growth requires that spending increases considerably. Even if councillors agree to increase council tax by the 4.79 per cent allowed by the government, we’re still facing devastating decisions on jobs and services.

“Officers have had to bring forward a set of measures which are, quite frankly, catastrophic.”

He said many of the cuts now under consideration were measures the council had managed to avoid last year.

“It’s horrendous that the continued underfunding of this council by Scottish Government means we find ourselves in an even more acute position.

“The combination of a cut in grant imposed by Scottish Government and an increasing demand for our services, which the government don’t seem to want to recognise, has caused a perfect financial storm.”

Cllr Milligan said the overall budget shortfall for 2019/20 was £9.739 million. “This is the difference between what the council needs to spend next year to keep services at current levels, and what we expect to get.”

Even with a full 4.79 per cent increase in council tax, along with plans to generate additional income and increase charges, there would need to be cuts to services of over £7.408 million.

“While the majority of local authorities are also facing similar cuts, Midlothian’s position is particularly acute, given we are the fastest growing local authority in Scotland.”

He said he had joined other Lothian council leaders in writing to Mr Mackay asking for an urgent, independent review on how local authorities are funded.

He urged the public to write to their MSPs demanding a fairer funding mechanism, recognising the exceptional population growth in the Lothians.

*It was revealed yesterday that Midlothian could become the first council in Scotland to axe all musical instrument tuition except for pupils studying for Higher or National Five exams in the subject.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan criticised the move as “a ridiculously short-sighted decision”.

He said: “This penny-pinching move will rob young people in Midlothian of an invaluable opportunity to develop their musical abilities, and deny them the many added benefits that instrumental instruction can offer.”

He pointed out the Scottish Parliament’s education committee had recommended instrumental music tuition should be provided free by all councils.

“Midlothian Council must reconsider this shameful decision as a matter of urgency,” he said.