South of Scotland Enterprise budget to be slashed by more than £7 million
dailyrecord.co.ukSouth of Scotland Enterprise is set to have its budget slashed by more than £7 million next year. The draft Scottish budget proposes cutting funding for the agency from £34.5 million this year to £27.4 million in 2024/25.
This year’s budget for the agency – which was launched in 2020 – was already down from £37.3 million last year. South Scotland Labour MSP Colin Smyth said: “This is a real kick in the teeth for the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency and pulls the plug on much of its work before it has even got started. “This massive cut will mean less money to support local businesses and create jobs at a time the local economy continues to fall behind much of the rest of Scotland.” Tory Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson was also critical of the move.
He said: “Shame on this central belt obsessed party of government – that is a cut of almost 25 per cent in just two years. How on earth is the region expected to attract new businesses to the area that will pay good wages and encourage our young people to stay?” A South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) spokesman said: “We work closely with Scottish Government throughout the year and have been fully aware that this budget would be a challenging one, reflecting the overall economic climate at this time. “As a result, we have been planning for multiple scenarios and will now take forward these plans to ensure we continue to deliver on our priorities for the south of Scotland in 2024/25. “While challenging, the Scottish budget does emphasis the need for us to work closely with economic agencies and our other partners to realise value and ensure our collective ambitions for the region are undiminished. “SOSE remains absolutely committed to meeting these
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