CNES SNP group reaction to council budget

Island households will face a rise in council tax and cuts to services despite the SNP Group at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar proposing an alternative plan.

Comhairle SNP group leader, Cllr Gordon Murray Budget speech

I would first of all like to thank all those who managed to help the SNP Group present this amendment today.

SNP Group urge Councillors to back their budget plan

The SNP Group at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar are urging councillors to support their alternative budget plan which will prevent cuts to public services and avoid a sharp rise in council tax.

This week councillors are being asked to approve the budget for 20/21. The SNP Group's amendment will suggest utilising extra funds announced by the Scottish Government instead of putting it into balances.

SNP Group leader Cllr Gordon Murray said: “The SNP Group welcome the extra monies for local government announced by the Scottish Government.

“Our plan is to put this money directly to services, along with a council tax freeze, money for Bethesda and dental services in South Uist. We are avoiding making any cuts to services and we strongly urge councillors to support us.

“Why sit on large reserves of cash when services need to be protected by reinvestment?

“I would urge councillors against adding this new money from the Scottish Government to reserves and use this money to help our most vulnerable and protect services.”

SNP councillors say no to council tax rise

No Council Tax rise, say SNP Councillors

Island residents should not face a Council Tax rise while it sits on large underspends say the SNP Group at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar who are making efforts this week to prevent the planned increase.

As part of the Budget Setting process at this week's meetings, Councillors are being asked to approve the proposal to increase Council Tax by nearly five percent.

The SNP Group say the Council Tax increase will cause financial pain to island families and instead they propose that the current level is retained for the 2020/21 financial year.

To meet the financial implications of retaining the current level, they propose that the Comhairle uses £3.1m of balances and £880,000 of reserves with the level of retained reserves being set at £2.62m.

SNP Group Leader Gordon Murray said: “we do not think it is right to ask families to pay more when the council have underspent their budgets and are sitting on large reserves.. “

The SNP Group are also proposing an additional £80,000 is made available to the Integration Joint Board (IJB) for the purpose of providing dental services at Sacred Heart Care Home, Daliburgh, South Uist. In the event that the IJB do not to agree to provide dental services at Daliburgh that the allocation be retained by the Comhairle.

In addition they are proposing that at additional £100,000 is made available to the IJB to provide funding support to Bethesda Hospice. If IJB do not agree to provide funding to Bethesda Hospice that the funding allocation be retained by the Comhairle.

Cllr Murray stated “These issues are hugely important to our communities and we wish to help these valuable services.

“I hope this amendment will get support from other councillors rather than hitting our communities with another maximum council tax rise which is unfair. Giving support in resources to  Bethesda hospice and dental services in South Uist is hugely important to the group and the communities across the islands.”

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