Politicians respond to council budget

Feb 16 2010 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A TORY figurehead yesterday hit out at the ruling administration over its 2010/2011 Perth and Kinross Council budget strategy.

After the SNP/Liberal proposals were approved last week by a majority vote at a special council meeting, Conservative Group leader Alexander Stewart accused his opponents of “once again showing a targeted approach to increasing charges and removing or reducing vital services and facilities”.

“I am horrified they have chosen to add an additional five per cent increase on the community alarms charge which hits the most vulnerable in our society,” he raged.

“I am also disappointed that the administration has chosen to reduce the delivery of expressive arts services funding.

“The findings of numerous, wide-ranging studies indicate that the expressive arts fulfil a vital function in the development of learners.

“The budget also includes a reduction in the service level agreement payments to Horsecross Arts [the organisation which runs Perth Theatre and Perth Concert Hall], and I am concerned that the administration has also increased music tuition charges yet again.

“Learning a musical instrument offers children crucial experiences and capacities. We should be encouraging such attributes not putting barriers in the way.”

Meanwhile, SNP politicians yesterday defended the strategy, citing a council tax freeze for the coming financial year.

Roseanna Cunningham MSP for the Perth constituency, and Pete Wishart, MP for Perth and North Perthshire, praised the administration for successfully passing budget proposals which have prevented a charges hike being passed on to residents.

Mr Wishart said: “Westminster’s tight hold on Scotland’s purse strings made this an extremely difficult year to be setting a council budget, so (council leader) Ian Miller and his team deserve real praise for managing to maintain a council tax freeze while still delivering increased funding for key services.”

Ms Cunningham declared: “Freezing the council tax for the fourth year in a row will be welcomed by hard pressed families and there are real service improvements being delivered.

“Breakfast clubs and action on class sizes for our schools, action on youth homelessness and an extra £500,000 to repair roads after the harsh winter are all examples of a council that is really delivering on its promises.”