Speaking during East Lothian Council's budget meeting, Councillor Michael Veitch welcomes the aim to protect services whilst keeping costs down.
Councillor Veitch, ward member for Dunbar & East Linton, Conservative Group Leader and Depute Council Leader, said:
“The very significant scale of the cash terms reduction in the grant which East Lothian Council receives has necessitated some hard choices as we attempt to protect services while keeping costs down.The Council has been extremely active in pursuing efficiency savings totalling over £15 million since 2013. This is welcome as the people of East Lothian wish to see the local authority making savings where it can and operating without any unnecessary waste or bureaucracy.
“Despite the financial challenges, there is a great deal to welcome in the Administration budget. I am heartened by the proposed £1.5 million investment in Town Centre Re-Generation and Growing the Economy over the next three years. The £600,000 allocated to parking improvements is also essential. While initially ear-marked for North Berwick, I would like to see some of that money also used to extend parking facilities at Dunbar, Drem and Longniddry stations, and very much hope that ScotRail will be able to work with us to achieve this. I welcome the continued very high level of capital investment earmarked for the county’s roads over the next three years, totalling some £16 million. Our ongoing investment in the Council’s supported bus network, and associated improvements, is also welcome.
“For me, the most significant line in the budget is the £1 million capital allocated to East Linton railway station. I am proud of the huge amount of work which this Council has done over the past few years in spear-heading efforts to re-open the station alongside our partners at SEStran and Scottish Borders Council, and with the active support of RAGES and MSPs from all four main parties. A lot of time, money and effort has already been spent on seeking to secure this important project, and I very much hope that we can now move forward in submitting an updated bid to the Scottish Stations Fund with our partners.
“Turning to Council Tax, I am delighted that it will remain frozen for another year in 2016/17. Knowing that their Council Tax is to remain frozen for another year will be welcomed by many hard working East Lothian families. Both the Administration and opposition budgets have proposed a relatively modest 3 per cent increase in Council Tax in 2017/18 and 2018/19. Personally, I would have preferred if this could have been avoided – or at least reduced – however I accept that with the freeze having now been in place for so many years, and with the pressure on Council finances being so severe, that a modest rise was probably inevitable.
“Crucially, despite the massive pressure on our budget this year, valuable services have been protected, and I’m confident that East Lothian will continue to enjoy the quality level of services and facilities to which we have become accustomed.”