In response to a Parliamentary Question tabled by North East MSP Mike Rumbles, the Scottish Government’s finance secretary has confirmed that Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire are two of the three worst funded local authorities in Scotland.

Per head of population, Aberdeen gets £350 less from its block grant than the average council in Scotland. With only Edinburgh receiving less.

Aberdeen drops to bottom, however, once the total funding is calculated, nearing £400 less than the average local authority, per person. While Aberdeenshire receives almost £200 less than the average, making it the third worst funded council in Scotland.   

Mr Rumbles said: “It is clear from these figures that the Scottish Government sees the North East as nothing more than a cash cow. That means less money for our local schools, less for our roads, and less for our local services.

“The disparity between councils of a similar size, with similar needs and geography, is appalling. It’s no wonder people feel let-down by this government and the fact that the SNP have done nothing to correct years of underfunding of our local services is disgraceful.

“The North East should not have to bear the burden of damaging SNP cuts and it is time the minister took action to put our local councils back on an even footing.”

Leader of the Liberal Democrat group for Aberdeen and councillor for Airyhall, Broomhill and Garthdee, Ian Yuill said:

"The SNP Scottish Government has repeatedly failed Aberdeen. Year-after-year the Scottish Government gives Aberdeen less funding per resident than any other Scottish council.

“That means less money for educating our children, less money for providing social care for our elderly and less money for repairing Aberdeen's crumbling roads."

ENDS

Notes for editors:

Written Question (25/04/18) - Mike Rumbles (North East Scotland) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what the average annual local authority (a) block grant and (b) total funding is, broken down by per head of population, and how this compares with how much each receives. S5W-15961

Derek Mackay: Please find the 2018-19 Block Grant per head and the 2018/19 total funding per head in the following table.