Moray SNP News

MORAY COUNCIL'S BUDGET 'LETHARGIC AND LACKING' SAYS SNP LEADER

Moray Council Opposition SNP Group Leader has described the Tory/Independent Administration’s budget as Lethargic and Lacking.

Councillor Gary Coull pointed to the continuing lack of leadership and financial stewardship of the Council by the current administration with practically no tough decisions being taken to tackle the Council’s budget deficit and instead leaving a black hole for the next administration.

Councillor Gary Coull said:

“This Independent/Tory budget can be summed up as being lethargic and lacking leadership.

“The SNP’s approach to budgets has been entirely different. Fundamentally budgeting is about long-term stewardship of the Council’s finances and not lurching from year to year with no strategic direction.

“We keep hearing about a doomsday scenario from the Council Leader, however when SNP Councillors propose sensible savings which do not affect frontline services - like a management restructure - Independent and Tory councillors dismiss them out of hand. Not exactly the actions of a responsible administration.

“These are the simple facts of the situation in Moray Council. We proposed a fair and reasoned budget amendment that could have reduced the budget deficit by another million pounds, while still reinstating budget to services that the public value, including a community warden post and funding for the highly respected Citizens Advice Bureau.

“It’s also important to highlight that, despite supporting exactly the same proposal last year,Tory Douglas Ross has today voted against the cutting back of senior management. This is pure political posturing and flip-flopping.

“Ultimately all the Independents on the Administration and all the Tories joined together to squeeze a budget through on a casting vote of the chair that has no clear strategy whatsoever. We saw nothing but party political games today from Independents who claim to be non-political.

“The Council needs to reform how it works if it is to continue delivering quality services. That requires leadership in the Council and there was none of that on show from the Independents and Tories.”