NOTEBOOK by Bill Heaney
Local people are continuing to suffer the effects of poverty and public service cuts in West Dunbartonshire.
This is very clear from the SNP council’s spin on their budget plans for this year and the emphasis that they are doing something – not a lot – to ameliorate the ongoing plunge into poverty and deprivation here.
School uniform grants for families who cannot afford to clothe their children and cash support for foodbanks to feed the kids are the SNP idea of the way forward, instead of an admission that these measures simply highlight and exacerbate the trouble people are in.
The council have failed to address the fact that increases in almost everything – especially council tax, national insurance, rent, gas, electricity, food and clothing – will burst family household budgets.
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine will make things even worse as sanctions bite and the cost of oil and petrol soars through the roof.
The Council appears to be content or even smug about this by spinning the truth of the seriousness of the tragic circumstances which they hope will see them through to winning the majority of seats in the council elections in May. Fat chance of that, I would forecast.
Remember when you vote that communities usually get the representatives they deserve.
The council claim that vulnerable households across West Dunbartonshire will benefit from additional support introduced as part of a ‘no cuts’ budget agreed today.
This is however a budget for a community that is content to live on benefits and handouts, but it is anathema to people who want to stand on their own two feet.
It includes additional investment to double the current school clothing grant from £150 to £300; creation of a £400,000 grant designed to support residents struggling with the cost-of-living; additional support for local foodbanks and an enhanced welfare and Working4U service to ensure residents can access financial and employability advice.
It says nothing about education which to all and sundry sounds to be in a parlous state.
This budget statement looks like a shameless attempt to pat themselves on the back.
They add: “The budget also commits to a £1 million investment in apprentices over the next FOUR years; an additional £2 million investment to improve roads and pavements in the area; funding for additional Christmas lights and the introduction of a pothole rapid repair service.”
You can take that as an SNP admission of neglect of ongoing repairs and maintenance of basic services such as roads and pavements. When did they last paint a lamp post in this rust belt we live in?
In addition, £500,000 will be invested for flood prevention, £500,000 will be used to enhance play areas and an additional £50,000 will fund two additional accessible Changing Places toilets. It really is time we replaced those two down the Quay.
Is that the same £500,000 being trotted out three times or is it £1.5 million being divided up three ways between these projects?
Cllrs Jonathan McColl and Cllr Ian Dickson, Dumbarton’s answer to Johnston and Sunak.
The council’s capital plan [spending on things that are new] will see more than £54 million invested in replacing existing assets and funding new projects such as community alarm upgrades, new electric vehicle charging points, a cemetery extension [it doesn’t say where, but it’s likely to be up country at Kilmaronock to keep the well-heeled Tory residents happy] and water safety equipment.
That last item could include new lifebelts for river banks and lochsides at a time when we have had tragedy after tragedy and have left it to the public to fund a lifeboat station at Loch Lomond. It’s a financial lifeboat we all need right now.
Though Council Tax will increase by 3 per cent, residents in band D properties will pay £111.20 less per year or £11.12 less per month for those paying [if they can afford it] over 10 months, when counted alongside the Council Tax Credit from the Scottish Government.
However, if people do their sums of all the increases, it is inevitable that they will find themselves paying more.
The financial plan is said to protect frontline Council services as much as possible, as well as protecting jobs. Perhaps it will even mean keeping the council offices open to the public. We’ll see.
As part of the budget, £61,000, a pittance given the care home problems we have seen arise during the pandemic, will also be invested to freeze social care charges at the 21/22 rate.
Councillor Ian Dickson, SNP Convener of Corporate Services, said: “For the fourth year in a row, we have achieved a no cuts budget in West Dunbartonshire, investing in key areas and supporting our residents without a reduction to our frontline services.
“At a time when our residents are dealing with the impacts of Brexit, the pandemic and the effects of war in eastern Europe, it is more important than ever to protect their income and guard against rapidly rising cost-of-living pressures.
“That is why we know families will welcome the saving they will make thanks to the doubling of school clothing grants and our most vulnerable residents will benefit through the new cost-of living grant fund.
“In addition, we have protected funding to strategic partners who help us support residents, including Citizens Advice and Women’s Aid.
“Our aim is a fairer future for all, and as well as supporting that aim, this budget will help West Dunbartonshire recover economically and as a society.”
Isn’t it remarkably convenient that the basket case council will now be able to blame the Russians for the hole we are in even after 14 years of SNP government?
Council Leader Jonathan McColl added: “Significant progress has been made over the last year to enhance our communities and support our residents.
“Key achievements this year include rolling out 1140-hours of free childcare; improving public safety with additional life-saving equipment installed and CCTV in place; the restoration and refurbishment of Lomond Bridge as part of significant regeneration works in Balloch and securing £19.9 million to regenerate Dumbarton Town Centre.”
That £20 million is, of course, coming from Boris Johnston’s Tory leveling up fund, not from Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP in Edinburgh.
Cllr McColl added: “In the year ahead, we intend to make even more enhancements to our area. We’ll move forward with the continued expansion of Early Learning and Childcare centres for the benefit of our young people; progress proposals for a new community campus in Faifley; develop a Water Safety Strategy for the area; improve active travel routes rolling out additional Electric Vehicle charging points to encourage the use of environmentally friendly transport; and we’ll improve libraries and key road routes.”
We live in exception times. Our politicians need to come up with exceptional ideas to keep our heads above water. There are none in this pathetic SNP budget. We are not waving here, we are drowning in a river of spin and misinformation.
