COUNCIL FUNDING REPORT SHOWS NEED FOR LOCAL OPTIONS
Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, today (3 Mar) highlighted a report into local government funding challenges by think-tank Fiscal Affairs Scotland.
The report says restricted funding for councils could lead to service users being charged more and that some services are at risk.
Alison Johnstone MSP said:
"Reforming council finances, and freeing our local authorities to pursue local priorities, are crucial issues. This report highlights the pressure our councils are under to cut services and increase charges, with the Scottish Government's unfair and unsustainable council tax freeze coming home to roost.
"Green councillors tell me of community centres facing closure, and staff reductions affecting nurseries and schools. We're also seeing home care rates increase and healthy lives affected by increased rates at sports centres.
"We are long overdue a revival of our local democracy, and Greens are taking part constructively in the Local Tax Commission with a view to seeing councils raise the majority of the funds, and able to choose from a variety of fairer options including our own preferred system of Land Value Taxation."