FIFE Council leader David Ross has been asked to write to the Scottish Government expressing concerns about funding cuts and “an increasing lack of confidence” in those in control of the country's finances.
The move came in response to a motion tabled by a Lib Dem councillor, with both Labour and the SNP submitting amendments before a 36-33 vote in favour of a letter to Holyrood outlining their views.
The wording eventually agreed on said that the “council notes with extreme concern that a failure to fund local authorities properly for pay and inflation has led to cuts and delays to local services and that this will have a detrimental impact on communities in Fife”.
The original motion from Cllr Allan Knox had called on councillors at last week's full council meeting to declare “no confidence in the Scottish Government’s management of Scotland’s finances”.
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Labour toned down some of the language in their amendment and opted to “note with concern” the Scottish Government’s suspended funding for the digital devices programme, flood defences and free school meals.
The SNP group’s amendment deleted any mention of writing to Holyrood and instead asked councillors to note the funding pressures the Scottish Government is facing and to acknowledge that “all roads lead back to Westminster”.
Councillors debated for more than an hour before eventually putting their proposals to a vote.
After a brief adjournment, the Lib Dems agreed to concede to Labour and combine their motions which went through by 36-33, with the SNP amendment defeated.
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