Stephen condemns councils' 'tight' settlement

10.00.00am GMT Fri 15th Feb 2008

Leader of the Liberal Democrats in Scotland and MSP for Aberdeen South, Nicol Stephen, has slammed the SNP Government for delivering a local finance settlement that could result in cuts to key social services across Scotland's local authorities.

Commenting, Mr Stephen said:

"As councils across Scotland finalise their own budgets, it is becoming increasingly clear that they are being forced into difficult and damaging decisions.

"The financial settlement provided by the SNP and Tories at Holyrood is leading to local authorities across Scotland being forced to make cuts in education, sports facilities and their key public services.

"We have already seen in places such as Aberdeen and Glasgow that because of the harsh restraints placed on local authorities, councils are being forced to make cuts to key public services.

"Freezing council tax has grabbed the headlines but we now see that it may come at a high cost to vital social services in many places across Scotland."