Highland Lib Dems call for fair deal for the Highlands

12.00.00am GMT Mon 14th Dec 2009

The Highland Lib Dems today launched a campaign calling on the Holyrood and Westminster Governments to give the Highlands a fair funding settlement.

Commenting Highland council Lib Dem leader Michael Foxley said:

"The SNP government has removed any budgetary flexibility from local government so Highland council is 100% dependent on a block grant from Edinburgh.

"We will be asking the SNP government to release an extra £10 million that we calculate is the unrecognised additional extra cost of delivering services in remote and rural areas. We are also calling on the Scottish Government to restore to local government the powers to set their own council tax rates."

Danny Alexander MP added:

"We are asking the Westminster government to write off the Highland council's housing debt, which would save £15 million a year in debt servicing costs and allow much greater investment in much needed affordable housing.

"In large parts of the Highlands acute housing shortages have not only a large personal impact in each case, but also a tangible impact on local economies and the sustainability of communities themselves. With 10,000 people on the housing register, writing off the housing debt would be a substantial boost to the Highland economy and allow communities to grow and develop."

Charles Kennedy MP supported the move adding:

"We have been campaigning for the Labour Government in Westminster to allow a lower rate of fuel duty in remote and rural areas. School transport costs Highland Council £5 million more than any other authority in Britain simply because of fuel costs and the distances involved.

"Now is the time for the government to step up and show that it recognises the logistics of providing services in the Highlands."

John Thurso MP concluded:

"The council wants to protect vital frontline services but the cost of delivering these services to a sparse and super sparse population needs to be recognised.

"We are calling on the UK government to release additional funds for the Scottish government to pass onto local authorities so that unnecessary cuts do not have to be made whilst the country is still emerging from recession."

ENDS