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Cuts to council services "inevitable" if Holyrood doesn't make more cash available

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Cuts to services are inevitable unless the Scottish Government provides the West Lothian Council with adequate levels of funding, warned its leader this week.Drastic measures will be needed to plug an almost £50,000 million black hole in the council’s budget.The council will shortly be launching a public consultation on a range of budget reduction measures that will reduce spending and alter local services.Over the past 16 years West Lothian Council has had to make savings of nearly £151 million due to insufficient levels of grant funding, he said.

The Scottish Government provides the council with over 80 per cent of its income.Many changes to services have already been put in place but the council now face a further budget gap of £47.1 million between 2023 and 2028.The budget gap is caused by increasing costs and a rising population combined with insufficient levels of grant funding from the Scottish Government.The measures featured in the consultation have been developed by senior council officers.Councillors will have a chance to consider public feedback and make a final decision on the measures in early 2023, when the budget for 2023/24 is set and the Council Tax level is agreed.The Leader of West Lothian Council added that the council will seek to protect the most vulnerable people, but that changes to existing services are inevitable given the scale of the financial pressures being faced.He has written to the Depute First Minister, who is also the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy, to appeal for further support and set out West Lothian’s case.Leader of West Lothian Council Lawrence Fitzpatrick said: “It’s vital that we’re given a proper funding package or it’s inevitable that local

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