Sunday 19 February 2023

Liberal Democrats slam Dundee SNP budget proposals - "the city needs better"


The Liberal Democrat Group on Dundee City Council has responded to the SNP administration budget proposals by saying it has ‘very significant’ concerns at many of the SNP cuts and it will be moving an alternative set of budget proposals at Thursday’s crunch budget meeting.

Group Leader Councillor Fraser Macpherson said, “Dundee SNP continually drones on about it ‘being ambitious for the city’ but even even the most cursory look at their budget proposals casts serious doubts on that claim – millions of pounds of cuts and a huge council tax increase to boot.

“Its own SNP government shares much of the blame as it has handed down to all councils one of the worst local government finance settlements in many years and the bottom line is that under the SNP you will be paying much more and getting much less in the way of services.

“The Liberal Democrat group is finalising alterative proposals and will be moving an alternative set of proposals at Thursday’s budget meeting.”

Depute group leader and Broughty Ferry Councillor Craig Duncan added, “The SNP again intends to axe local supported bus services including the 206 service in my own Broughty Ferry area.

“We will certainly oppose this cut and the other bus services that will include axing services in the West End/Lochee, Kirkton/Lawside/The Glens and Mill O’Mains/Mid Craigie. The SNP will also axe the support the council currently makes to ensure Service 10 has evening and Sunday services right across Dundee.

“If we are to further encourage people to use public transport this is exactly the wrong thing to be doing and so very short sighted.”

Strathmartine councillor Daniel Coleman said, “The SNP also intends to axe £50 000 of community regeneration funding support right across Dundee, something we feel is a completely wrong thing to do. This funding is for local communities and helps anti-poverty, social inclusion and cost of living issues.

“These cuts we cannot support – it is completely the wrong thing to be doing at this time.”

West End councillor Michael Crichton added, “Our overall impression is of an SNP budget that expects Dundonians to pay much more for a whole lot less.

“The council has been handed a dreadful grant settlement by the SNP government and the SNP council administration’s choices have simply made matters worse”

The full Dundee Liberal Democrat Group budget proposals will be released early next week after discussions with council officers on the proposals are concluded.