Moray SNP News

LOCHHEAD TO MEET COUNCIL CHIEF EXECUTIVE

MSP WILL OFFER TO TAKE MORAY COUNCIL DELEGATION TO MEET FINANCE SECRETARY

Richard Lochhead MSP will meet with the Chief Executive of the Moray Council on Friday [2nd March] to discuss the implications of the Tory led administration’s budget, and where he will offer to take a delegation to meet with the Finance Secretary for talks on the local authority’s long term finances.

Ahead of the Council’s Budget meeting, the Finance Secretary agreed that he would meet with representatives from the Moray Council to discuss local government finances.  Mr Lochhead will use his meeting with the Council’s Chief Executive to press for a meeting, and will offer a date later in the month for talks.  

The MSP will also take the opportunity to highlight the need for the Council’s political leadership to make the case for Moray to get a better deal from COSLA – the body that agrees how the local government settlement is distributed between Scotland’s Councils.

Mr Lochhead said:

“I’m looking forward to meeting with the Council’s Chief Executive to discuss the budget recently passed by the Tory-led administration, and I will of course be raising my concerns on the impact of the planned cuts to our local communities.

“Ahead of the meeting I offered the administration an opportunity to meet with the Finance Secretary – an offer which remains on the table – and I will take the opportunity at my meeting with Roddy Burns to urge the Council leadership to be part of this delegation.

“I understand that the Independent Leader of the Council only raised his concerns with the Scottish Government late in January, meaning there’s a lot of time to make up, but the key thing at this stage is that we agree to work together to get the best deal for Moray.

“I will also be pressing for the Council to ensure that the Tory-led administration raise the funding formula for local authorities with COSLA – who are the body that agrees the share each council receives – as a matter of priority. This is the first and most important port of call for revisiting the local government funding formula and it is vital that the Council’s political leadership get this on the agenda as soon as possible, in order for them to make the case for a better funding deal for Moray.”