Moray SNP News

SNP COUNCILLORS DEFEAT COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION OVER LINK ROAD PLAN

VITAL SPEND ON FLOOD WORKS ALSO PROTECTED BY SNP

SNP Opposition Councillors in Moray have successfully voted to end the controversial Elgin Western Link Road project to save significant money for the cash-strapped council.

The vote came during a difficult debate on the Council’s Capital Plan, which the Council’s Corporate Services Director has described as unsustainable, whilst giving Councillors a warning over the Council’s finances.

SNP Councillors used the additional savings found as a means to continue funding a series of areas of spend including important flood protection, keeping playparks and toilets open and road safety work.

In addition to the items put back into the Capital Plan the SNP’s changes also resulted in an overall additional saving to the Council of 150 thousand pounds this year and over 8 million pounds in future years.

Commenting on the vote SNP Opposition Leader Cllr Gary Coull said:

“The SNP have been heeding the warnings over the Council’s finances, which is why in February we proposed a far more sustainable budget than the Council’s Tory/Independent Administration.

“Today we have seen that the Council’s Independent/Tory Administration are totally all over the place losing key votes.

“Our own proposals identified further capital savings which we then used to protect areas of spend that are important to our communities across Moray. We have protected play parks, public toilets and road safety.

“One of the most important areas we have been able to protect is spending on development of flood schemes for Dallas, Hopeman and Portessie. Progressing that work is hugely important for the peace of mind of people that have suffered flooding in our communities in recent times.

“SNP Councillors have repeatedly stated that the Western Link Road project is unaffordable in the current circumstances and it looks like our arguments have been heeded by at least some of the Council’s Administration.

“Strategic leadership and direction by the Council’s Independent Council Leader Stewart Cree was nowhere to be seen today. They have clearly lost support from some of their own Administration Councillors on strategic issues."