Lifeline services being put at risk, claims MSP Neil Bibby

New figures from the independent Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Spice) show that between 2013-14 and 2018-19, East Renfrewshire Council’s budget was cut by £188 per person in real terms.

Across Scotland, council budgets were slashed by £810 million in real terms during the period.

Scottish Labour says the cuts have put lifeline services at risk and show the SNP has not only failed to stand up to Tory austerity, they have ‘turbo-charged’ it on councils.

Mr Bibby said: “Year after year, the SNP have hammered East Renfrewshire Council with cuts – and cuts to councils are cuts to communities.

“More than £800m has been stripped from council budgets in real terms in recent years and lifeline local services are at risk.

“Instead of using the powers of Scotland’s Parliament to stand up to the Tories, the SNP government have acted as a conveyor belt for cuts, imposing excessive austerity onto council services and local communities.

“It’s time for the SNP to stop the council cuts and start investing properly in local services again.”