Residents have been warned to brace themselves for widespread budget cuts to frontline services across Perth and Kinross.
Perth and Kinross Liberal Democrat leader Peter Barrett, who is part of the council administration, said roads, bus services and schools will all “suffer” in “highly visible and unpalatable” cutbacks.
He pointed the finger at the Scottish Government and cabinet secretary Derek Mackay, who he said had left the local authority facing a funding gap of more than £9 million in the next financial year.
Council bosses are just weeks away from setting their 2019-2020 budget.
The Scottish Government revealed at the end of last year how much each local authority in Scotland would receive in funding.
While the total allocation has gone up for councils, critics say it amounts to a cut because the extra cash is for new responsibilities placed on them, such as the extension of childcare and personal care.
The financial settlement published by the Scottish Government has assumed councils will raise the local tax by the 3% maximum.
The government has insisted Perth and Kinross Council will get an extra £17 million next year, a rise of more than 7%.
Mr Barrett said local governments were being made to be “the fall-guy for unfair funding cuts”.
He said: “Our budget is being cut by more than £7.5 million. That is more than three per cent in cash terms, and 5.5% cut in real terms.
“This is a swingeing cut and does not take account of inflation or the growing demands for essential local services.”
Mr Barrett added: “The gap between the pressures we face and the savings proposals put forward comes to more than £12m over the next three years.”
Referring to the £9m funding gap, he said: “You cannot make that level of savings without severe impacts on service levels.
“Those cuts are going to be highly visible and unpalatable.
“Non-statutory and unprotected service areas will feel the worst brunt of the cuts. Roads, bus services, greenspaces and schools are going to suffer.”
He added: “Local government is being made the fall guy for unfair SNP Government funding cuts.
“Derek Mackay is putting forward a budget which is bad for Scotland, damaging for communities and way beyond bad for Perth and Kinross.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said Perth and Kinross Council would receive more than £285.2 million for local services in 2019-20.
“Using their council tax powers they could also generate an additional £2.5 million to support the delivery of essential local services, meaning an extra £19 million next year which represents an increase of over 7 per cent,” he said.
The spokesman added: “With this funding, Perth and Kinross Council has the financial freedom to decide on their priorities for the coming year, with certain statutory requirements like education.
“We continue to ensure that our partners in local government receive a fair funding settlement, despite further cuts to the Scottish Budget from the UK Government.
“We are delivering a funding package of £11.1 billion for local authorities next year – a real terms increase of over £210 million for essential public services in Scotland.”
In the council’s most recent revenue budget report, chief accountant Scott Walker said more than £10 million of Scottish Government funding was ring-fenced for specific initiatives, such as early learning and childcare.
“On a like for like basis, the provisional Scottish Government funding allocation
for 2019/20, therefore, represents a £7,571,000 cash reduction (3.06%) over
the equivalent position for 2018/19,” he said.
“This is a cash reduction and does not take account of the additional impact of
inflation or demand growth resulting in a significant real terms reduction.”
