The Scottish Conservatives will today (Wednesday) unveil “bold” plans that will give councils greater freedom over how they can spend their budgets.
The party’s leader Russell Findlay will be joined by colleagues Craig Hoy and Alexander Stewart in Edinburgh to launch a new policy paper which aims to transform local government.
Findlay will argue that for years the SNP government have hoarded powers in Holyrood while also imposing savage cuts on their budgets, which has led to a sharp decline in frontline services.
He says that “control-freak SNP politicians” have repeatedly made decisions that have destroyed trust within communities and put their political priorities above the needs of those who have to live with them.
The party’s paper includes plans to:
- Simplify the funding process and guarantee councils a fixed proportion of the Scottish government budget
- Pass a Local Powers Act that would give councils multi-year budget certainty for long-term planning and limit the ring-fenced spending imposed by Holyrood
- Ensure that funding reflects the additional costs that affect rural councils, and the pressures imposed on urban councils by factors such as population growth and migration
In addition, the Scottish Conservatives’ proposals would allow councils the freedom to keep more of the business rates revenue they collect, ensure local planning decisions are final and introduce a league table to measure and improve delivery of waste collection and pothole repairs.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “Our bold new plans would transform Scottish councils after almost two decades of being failed by John Swinney’s SNP who arrogantly think they know best.
“The SNP have hoarded power at Holyrood while inflicting savage cuts on local authorities. I stand with hard-pressed Scots who are sick of paying more council tax while seeing services decline.
“Under our new policies, councils would have more freedom to spend their budgets as they see fit. They would also be given much-needed financial certainty by being allocated a fixed proportion of the Scottish government budget each year.
“Control-freak SNP politicians don’t trust local councils, but the Scottish Conservatives know that local people are best placed to make decisions for their own communities.
“We are committed to giving back power to local people to help improve public services and spend taxpayers’ money wisely which will help to grow Scotland’s economy.”