West Lothian Council will find out what its budget for next year will be a week before Christmas.
But there’s little in the way of seasonal excitement among the council’s financial officers who predict more of the same in terms of tough times ahead, even with more money coming into Scotland after the Chancellor’s budget last month.
At this month’s Executive committee the council accepted an amendment from Councillor Damian Timson, Conservative group leader, to request more money for the council as it struggles to deliver basic services.
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In a report on the UK Budget Donald Forrest, head of finance and property services said: “Although UK tax revenues are expected to be considerably higher, and the Scottish Government has received an additional £950 million in Barnett Consequentials, [the funding formula which allocates grant funding to Scotland] it is unlikely that the assumptions made around future grant settlements for the council will significantly improve.”
Mr Forrest added that “significant challenges” remain to West Lothian’s budget and there are additional pressures such as the uncertainty surrounding Brexit and its potential effects and inflationary pressures.
The Scottish Government’s budget will be on December 12, when funding programmes for devolved areas will be decided with local councils finding out their share around December 18 .
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It will be mid January before the councillors will learn what the budget implications will be for local services.
Councillor Timson tabled an amendment urging the chief executive to write to the Scottish Government demanding that the extra money coming to Scotland- £400m for local government - is spent on local council services. He told the meeting: “It’s critical that pressure is brought to the Scottish Government.”
Chairing the meeting, council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick, agreed to instruct the chief executive to write to the First Minister asking that all additional money coming to Scotland is allocated exclusively to councils.
