Moray Conservatives have said that they fear the visit to Moray of SNP Cabinet Secretary for Finance Derek Mackay MSP, was just an exercise in “smoke and mirrors”.
They were particularly critical of the exclusion from the meeting, held at Moray Council HQ in Elgin, of all non-SNP councillors.
Conservative Group Leader Cllr Tim Eagle, said: “It is a real shame that at a meeting which was supposed to discuss the practical support the Scottish Government could provide to Moray Council, that not a single opposition councillor was invited to attend.
“As yet we have been provided with nothing other than scant details as to what was discussed despite the fact that Moray Council faces a financial meltdown without immediate support. I have no idea if Mr Mackay suggested any solutions or made any clear offer of support. With this in mind I am left wondering if I just need to assume this is all smoke and mirrors.”
Cllr Eagle said it was particularly disappointing because it was an all-party delegation of Moray councillors that had originally put pressure on Mr Mackay at a meeting in Holyrood several months ago specifically designed so we could show we are working together.
He said: “With a visitor as high profile as Mr Mackay it seemed fair that at least all group leaders had a right to hear what was said and a right to put their point of view. Sadly I am now being expected to be part of another horrible year of savings without being told anything which could provide some welcome relief. I cannot stress enough that Moray simply must have significantly improved funding from ScotGov next year so we can provide even the basic services which Nicola Sturgeon's government asks us to. Without this, even statutory services could be left in tatters.”
The Conservatives were further angered when, commenting after the meeting with Derek Mackay, SNP Council Leader Cllr Graham Leadbitter chose to criticise Highlands and Islands regional Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston.
Mr Halcro Johnston said: “It has been reported that Graham Leadbitter accused me of having “voted for less” when I “supported the reduced Scottish Government budget”.
“This is completely untrue and I have consistently opposed the SNP Government’s cuts to Moray and voted against their budget which squeezes local council finances across Scotland.
“I have been appalled by the treatment Moray has received at the hands of the SNP Government and have been campaigning for a better deal for Moray, including when I questioned Cllr Leadbitter’s boss, Nicola Sturgeon, at First Minister’s Questions. Needless to say she ducked the question.”
“If Cllr Leadbitter’s comments have been accurately recorded, then it would be better if he focused his attentions on putting pressure on his SNP colleagues in Edinburgh to get a Moray a fair deal, and stopped misleading local residents by misrepresenting the views of other elected representatives”.
