Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron has said that local authorities in his region require greater clarity from the Scottish Government about funding.
An extra £155 million has been provided by the UK Government to pass on to councils in Scotland but, despite Scottish Government ministers being asked by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) about the funding, there remains a lack of guidance about how the money can be spent.
Mr Cameron, the Shadow Finance Secretary, said: “I am seriously concerned that senior councillors I have spoken to remain unsure about how much they will receive and exactly what they can spend it on."
“Local authorities have a vital role to play in delivering care to vulnerable people and they work very closely with the NHS through the Integration Joint Boards which they also help to fund. Councils badly require urgent clarity on this extra funding so they can commit resources to helping those people with the greatest needs.”
Cllr Gary Mulvaney, Depute Leader, Argyll and Bute Council added: “We are all focused on the doing the right thing to protect our residents communities and businesses, but without absolute clarity and certainty at this stage, there is a fear that when all expenditure is totted up at the end of this, there will be financial hole left to councils and social care partnerships to fill.”
