Electing South Lanarkshire's first Green Councillors this May will herald in fresh faces, new ideas and people committed to protecting and improving public services.Janet Moxley
As the Scottish Budget passed with support from Green MSPs, local Green campaigners are delighted that the deal with the Greens has removed £9.4 million for proposed cuts to local services in South Lanarkshire. South Lanarkshire Council now needs to set its own budget, and Green MSPs have written to South Lanarkshire Council urging them investment in warm homes, active travel and support for pupils with additional needs.
On the passing of the Scottish budget, co-convenor of the Greens, Patrick Harvie, said:
"The additional £160 million secured for councils to spend on local priorities such as schools and social care means the core local government settlement is flat in real terms, compared to the cut the government had proposed. When you add in the £111million from adjustments to upper bands of Council Tax, it's a real terms increase.
"Following a decade of an unsustainable Council Tax freeze and years of cutbacks, there is still huge work to do to protect and improve public services, and build the case for progressive national taxation and for more power at local level to ensure fair funding for public services."
Janet Moxley, prospective Green candidate for Clydesdale East, said,
"Where there are already Green Councillors on local authorities they have put forward proposals to address local priorities in their budget setting process. Now that Green action in Parliament means that South Lanarkshire's budget will not be cut, I hope the council ensures that the budget they set delivers the things which matter to local people: excellent education for all our pupils; high quality care for those who need it and a joined up transport system for all areas including Clydesdale.
"Electing South Lanarkshire's first Green Councillors this May will herald in fresh faces, new ideas and people committed to protecting and improving public services. New Green councillors will also work to ensure local people have a far greater say in deciding local spending priorities."
The image above shows Janet Moxley, prospective Green candidate for Clydesdale East outside Biggar High School, one of the local schools which could benefit from extra funding for local authorities.