Moray Conservative council leader Kathleen Robertson says the budget passed by councillors delivers on "local people's priorities."
Kathleen says that it has been delivered against "an extremely tough financial" backdrop, but that crucial local services will continue to be protected.
She says that Moray Council- in her first Budget as leader- were once again backed into a corner by the SNP-Green government in Holyrood, who once again "passed the buck" over cuts onto local authorities.
Kathleen added that this was particularly "galling" as they aim to support local people and communities who are grappling with the effects of the cost-of-living crisis.
She praised other parties for "working constructively" to ensure that the Budget passed but reaffirmed her calls for the SNP-Green government to finally give councils a fair funding deal, to avoid yet more cuts to local services that people rely on.
Moray Conservative council group leader Kathleen Robertson said: "I am proud of the budget that our administration has passed today.
"It is a budget that reaffirmed our commitment to focusing on local people's priorities in Moray and has been delivered against an extremely tough financial backdrop.
"Councillors were once again forced to make tough decisions in relation to local jobs and services, thanks to the failures of the SNP-Green government in Holyrood.
"They failed to deliver a fair funding deal for local authorities like Moray Council which continued the trend of savage cuts being passed down by the SNP-Green government to councils.
"I welcome the other parties for working constructively to ensure that this budget was passed, but it was particularly galling to make some of these decisions during a cost-of-living crisis, and the buck stops with SNP-Green ministers.
"Unless they change tack and finally step up and give our councils the resources they need, then similar discussions and decisions will have to be made next year.
"The council administration I lead alongside my Conservative colleagues will continue to stand up for local people and be on their side during these tough economic times."
