For immediate release;

MSP for Rutherglen, Clare Haughey, has revealed figures from the Scottish Government show that South Lanarkshire Council are not only sitting on substantial financial reserves, but that they have increased dramatically over the past ten years – despite communities facing significant cuts to their services. 

In cash terms, the Council had £13.4 million in their reserve pot in 2014, which has since risen to £150.3 million by March 2024.  This represents what the MSP describes as a “staggering” 753 percent increase over the period – by far the highest percentage increase of all councils across Scotland. 

By comparison, on average Scottish Council’s reserves have risen by 130 percent, in stark contrast to South Lanarkshire’s figure.  At the end of the last financial year alone, the Council transferred £26.35 million of underspent budgets to their coffers.

In this financial year alone, South Lanarkshire Council have threatened the closure of Eastfield Community Centre, Halfway Library, North Halfway Hall, the Peter Brownlee Pitch and Pavilion, and Cambuslang Library, and have changed the qualifying distance for free school bus travel which will impact many local children and young people.

Commenting, Clare Haughey said;

“Of course, it’s prudent for a Council to have cash in reserves – that’s a key plank of sensible financial management.

“Despite local authorities receiving record settlements from the Scottish Government with inflation, spiralling energy costs, and the continuation of Tory austerity under a new UK Labour Government, they are undoubtably under extreme financial pressure.

“But our communities have been feeling the sharp edge of swingeing cuts from library and hall closures, to cuts to school bus services. They will rightly be asking difficult questions about exactly why the Council have been squirreling away this vast sum of money.

“The money that the Council have estimated they will save by slashing school bus services, £2 million per annum, is equivalent to a tiny 1.3 percent of the total amount they have in the bank.

“Every cut to vital services has been announced by the Labour Administration with much hand-wringing and finger pointing.  Frankly, in the eyes of our communities that is looking increasingly disingenuous.

“If the prospect of closing of much loved community centres and libraries, or forcing children and young people to walk miles to school each day won’t force the Council to use some of their reserves, then what will?”

ENDS