Fife Council will have to cut an extra £30m from services following the Budget, its leader has predicted.
David Ross, who heads up the Labour-run local authority, said the SNP Government’s slashing of core funding will have a “real impact” on how councils serve the public.
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay announced a £47m reduction in the grant that local government receives from central coffers in Thursday’s Budget.
But he said councils are in a better position than they were last year because they are now able to rake in extra council tax revenue, spend NHS cash marked for improving social care and will benefit from national funding for schools.
His figures are disputed by Labour and the Conservatives, who say £327m is being cut from the local government pot for 2017/18.
Mr Ross said there will have to be a fresh round of cuts in Fife.
“No matter how Derek Mackay tries to dress it up, this is a significant cut in the core funding to councils across Scotland that will have a real impact on local services.
“We won’t know the detail of exactly how the settlement will affect Fife until next week, but my initial view is that we will still be forced to make over £30m cuts to services in Fife.”
Dundee City Council, which is run by the SNP, said it is not yet clear what the spending implications from the Budget will be.
Cllr Willie Sawers, depute policy and resources convener, said: “It is too early at this point to know exactly what effect the budget is going to have locally, but council officers are working hard to build up a detailed picture for us to base our decisions on.”
“However I can confirm that we will prioritise protecting vital services that the council delivers to those people in our community who need them most, whilst also avoiding any compulsory redundancies.”
