A South Scotland MSP has blasted the list of proposed council cuts published in last week’s edition of the Ayrshire Post. The hit-list drafted by council officials includes many of the local authority’s golf courses and swimming pools as well as the closure of local community centres and a possible reduction in the school week.
Scottish Conservative MSP Brian Whittle has hit out at the proposals, suggesting they would hurt local communities and have serious knock-on effects. The MSP has long argued for greater recognition of the physical and mental health benefits that local community facilities can deliver through access to sport and exercise classes or even just giving people somewhere to meet friends. Now he’s suggesting South Ayrshire Council need to re-examine their priorities when it comes to potential cuts.
The Council’s cuts list comes against the backdrop of complaints from councils up and down the country that the Scottish Government is short-changing them in this year’s budget, cutting their discretionary spending and failing to fully fund teachers’ pay.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“This is a terrifying list of cuts to South Ayrshire services. Whether this is the final list of planned cuts or a list that just intended to soften the blow, I’m seriously worried that the council seem to be focused on sports and leisure facilities in smaller communities.
Closing these facilities might make sense on a balance sheet but it would be a real act of vandalism on the communities. Aside from the potential loss of jobs, the council need to think long and hard about the wider impact these closures could have. Instead of closing swimming pools and sports centres, we need to be encouraging more people to use them.
Time and again, South Ayrshire Council are making the wrong decisions and letting down the public. This time, I hope Douglas Campbell and his colleagues in the SNP/Labour Coalition will think carefully before sacrificing important community assets.”
