CUTS to local government funding will have severe consequences for transport and travel across Scotland with spending on roads already down almost £70million in recent years, it has been claimed.
Following warnings that thousands of jobs were at risk across the country if councils have their funding slashed in this month's Scottish budget, local government chiefs have said it would be "virtually impossible" to maintain the quality of roads.
Cosla also claimed further cuts would make it more difficult to respond to winter conditions in future.
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But the Government has responded to the claims by pointing to a recent report by watchdogs into council finances, which said their cash reduction reflected the budget cuts imposed by Westminster.
A spokesman said: "It is therefore clear that local government has been treated very fairly despite those cuts from the UK Government."
Finance secretary Derek Mackay will deliver his first budget later this month amid predictions that local government will again shoulder much of the expected cuts.
Orkney councillor and Cosla's spokesman for transport, Stephen Hagan, said that over the last few years road budgets were reduced "by the order of 14 per cent".
He added: “Scottish Government need to see the bigger picture. Budget cuts not only affect investment in road improvement but also have a real impact on communities trying to go about their daily business which in turn can harm the local economy.
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“Less funding means councils are less able to respond to typical, let alone unusual, winter conditions in future. Scottish Government cannot control the weather but they can control how much money they give local government who have to keep vital services rolling no matter what the conditions are like. A cut to the local government budget will inevitably increase the risk councils have to bear as budgets are stretched ever further."
Cosla said that between 2010 and 2015 the country's 32 councils had cuts a combined £66m from their roads' budgets.
A recent report by public spending watchdog Audit Scotland warned that both councils and Transport Scotland were underspending on roads maintenance by tens of millions of pounds a year, with drivers facing worsening conditions in future unless action is taken. Only 63 per cent of local roads were considered to be in an acceptable condition.
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A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Audit Scotland last week published their independent report into council finances and found that local government funding reflects the budget cuts imposed on the Scottish Government by Westminster. We remain committed to engaging Cosla in further dialogue on a range of issues."
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