Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnstonhas described attempts by the Leader of Moray Council’s SNP administration to blame cuts to grass-cutting and other council services on Brexit as preposterous.
In a message issued on social media, SNP Councillor Graham Leadbitter blamed the cuts on “BREXIT contingencies” and “increasing pressure of work” on the NHS. These claims came only days after SNP Finance Secretary Derek Mackay admitted the Scottish Government had underspent its own budget by £450m.
Cllr Leadbitter last week warned that Moray faced another £19m funding shortfall and Mr Halcro Johnston, who recently met residents of Brodie Drive in Elgin to discuss the problem, said:
“Councillor Leadbitter’s excuses are preposterous. The reason for the cuts is that the SNP Scottish Government has slashed Moray Council’s budget year after year, despite admitting they’ve underspent their own budget by £450m.
“Moray is now one of the worst-funded councils in Scotland. Despite cross party efforts to plead Moray’s case with Derek Mackay, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, the SNP have chosen to continue with their squeeze on Moray’s budgets, and now we learn from Cllr Leadbitter that another £19m of cuts are on their way”.
Mr Halcro Johnston said that the Council now needs to urgently review its policy on grass-cutting. He also warned SNP politicians that local people would not accept another round of swingeing cuts or tax rises.
“The Conservative Group on Moray Council is quite right to demand a review on grass-cutting, and I would urge local people to support- and to encourage friends and family to support Douglas Ross MP’s petition.
“Long grass is an ideal habitat for ticks and, with the recent damp weather, there’s concern we may see an explosion in their numbers. That could pose an increased risk of Lyme Disease being spread by infected ticks to local residents and, as the grass and weeds grow as the summer goes on, this is a problem that will only get worse.
“It’s important that local people send a clear message to Moray’s SNP administration that they want services restored and that they won’t accept Moray’s SNP politicians just rubber-stamping yet another round of damaging cuts or inflation-busting tax rises from their Scottish Government colleagues”.
