Greens secure budget deal with Glasgow leading the way on free school meals and rent controls
Green councillors in Glasgow have reached a budget deal that will see Glasgow City Council become the first in Scotland to have universal free school meals for all primary-aged children and the first to begin work on implementing rent controls.
Both ground-breaking steps have been made possible thanks to work of Green MSPs in the Scottish Parliament.
The deal agreed between Green and SNP councillors in Glasgow will respond to the city's housing emergency by doubling the Council Tax premiums on homes that are left sitting empty, and by taking action to improve Glasgow's tenements.
It also maintains the best childcare offer in Scotland, with access to funded hours immediately following a child's third birthday, and commits £5.5m to protect social work services, which faced potentially having to axe care home beds and drug rehab services.
The budget deal was made possible after Green pressure on the Scottish Government to help with the city's £56m homelessness pressure resulted in a one-year deal which will see the Government put up half the cost of borrowing needed to cover the gap. However, Greens argue that action to bring down the homelessness costs remains an urgent national priority with forecasts that the bill could rise to more than £90m over the next two years.
Green group Co leader Jon Molyneux said:
"The background to this budget was soaring homelessness costs and it’s vital that this is now being recognised as a national priority thanks to Green pressure. It’s clear though this needs more than a one year fix and both national governments must work with us on this.
“The budget deal agreed by Green councillors uses the powers we do have locally to respond to our city’s biggest challenges - child poverty and the housing crisis.
“That includes starting work on rent controls to protect Glasgow’s tenants and doubling the penalty charges on those who leave homes sitting empty or hardly used. We will also make Glasgow the first area in Scotland to deliver free school meals for every primary-aged child, and we’ll guarantee the best childcare offer in Scotland.
“An extra £5.5m for the Health and Social Care Partnership will also protect services for the most vulnerable. These have been red lines in our negotiations and we’re pleased to have delivered them whilst keeping council tax increases to a minimum.”
Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, said
“Glasgow’s Green councillors have worked hard to protect services in Glasgow, in extremely difficult circumstances. Keir Starmer’s government has made incredibly harmful decisions which have increased homelessness and left our city council having to foot the bill.
“We’ve pressured the SNP Scottish Government to give councils the power and money they need, but the truth is what they’ve offered is a half measure.
“If Glasgow – and every other council in Scotland – is going to be able to protect local services in the years ahead, they urgently need more powers from Holyrood, and Green MSPs will be relentless in working to achieve that.”