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SNP depute group leader, Councillor Gordan Low, has criticised the new East Dunbartonshire Council budget for 2010/11 and the Labour/Tory budget priorities.
Commenting on the financial difficulties faced by the council Councillor Low stated
"Setting this year's budget has been a matter of making difficult decisions and invidious choices. However while the level of savings the council is having to find is not what anyone would want to propose, the administration budget has seriously failed to protect important public-facing services."
Highlighting some of the Labour/Tory proposals which the SNP group had opposed Councillor Low listed:
- increase in non-residential care charges from 35 to 50p in the pound
- cut in the sheltered housing warden service
- the introduction of sheltered housing charges
- cut back in the school travel provision for both primary and secondary pupils
- reduction in school crossing patrols
- scrapping the funding to breakfast clubs
- ending the mobile library service
- removing work experience for S4 Christmas leavers
- reducing the community warden service to around a third of its current compliment
- removing the post office as a means of payment of council bills
- cutting the funding to the voluntary sector, potentially resulting in reduction of service provision for vulnerable members of the community
- closing public halls in isolation before working out a comprehensive asset management strategy
Councillor Low commented "All political groups on the council faced having to make difficult decisions but the SNP proposals sought a more strategic approach, better protection for public-facing services, and to avoid the worst effects on the most vulnerable members of society."
Author : Cllr Gordan Low
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