Douglas Alexander MP column - East Lothian needs more council funding

This is a message that is resonant and relevant in every part of the UK.

The promise of devolution is that power is always used best when it is in the hands of local communities. But in Scotland over recent years, we have seen councils starved of cash and power centralised at Holyrood.

The UK Government has given the Scottish Parliament a record funding settlement, but the Scottish Government has consistently failed to pass that record funding on to local councils.

Here in East Lothian, more than £50 million has been slashed from the funding the council receives from the Scottish Government over the last decade.

That means it is now the third-worst-funded council per head of population in Scotland, despite also being the second-fastest-growing council area.

I have called for an urgent focus on empowering local communities and securing fair resources for councils across Scotland.

Fair and sustainable funding is needed to ensure local authorities receive stable, predictable multi-year budget settlements to protect essential municipal services.

Councils should also have their local decision-making freedoms respected with greater flexibility over regional economic planning, housing initiatives and local transport networks.

Giving funding straight to grassroots projects and neighbourhood renewal initiatives across Scottish towns and cities will also enhance the important community-led regeneration work many councils are undertaking.

This is not a party-political issue. I know that many councillors from other parties have been advocating for better funding and autonomy for local councils. Even some SNP councillors have criticised their party’s cuts to council funding.

I will continue to work with all those who want Scotland’s councils to receive fair funding and be properly empowered to maintain vital local services, support their communities and boost local economies.