Today, as the largest party returned at last year’s council elections in South Lanarkshire, the SNP Group presented an Alternative Budget to that of the coalition Administration. Unfortunately, we were disappointed (but not surprised) to see Labour team-up with the Tories, Lib Dems, and independents yet again to vote against the expressed wishes of the electorate.
Below is some detail of the initiatives in our Alternative Budget, so you know what the Tories, Labour, Lib Dems, and independents decided against.
Top Summary
🥀 Labour said in their manifesto that they’d extend Free School Meals eligibility to kids who got clothing grants.
🟦 Tories said they’d keep Council Tax low.
🔶 The Lib Dems said they’d implement Breakfast Clubs in secondaries.
🟡 Your SNP Group proposed an Alternative SLC Budget 2023 that would make all those policies a reality — and so much more!
❌ They all voted against it.
Policy Area Breakdown
✅ The SNP’s Alternative Budget would result in ZERO cuts to front-line staffing or service provision.
✅ The SNP’s Alternative Budget would have supported people facing the cost of living crisis by delivering an additional £1 million to the Financial Well-being Support Fund to support those in financial hardship.
✅ The SNP’s Alternative Budget would have kept Council Tax to to a modest, below-inflation rise of 3.5%.
❌ The unionist parties made a back-room deal on a 5.5% rise. Tories admitted in the chamber that they knew this was too high.
The SNP’s Alternative Budget would have invested in our communities by delivering:
✅ £2m to support community-based arts, leisure and culture
✅ £150k Winter Festival Fund
✅ £150k Community Grant Scheme
✅ £200k+ in participatory
budgeting
✅ 5% increase to grant payments for voluntary organisations
The SNP’s Alternative Budget would have seen investment in our much-valued community halls with:
✅ £150k grant-based fund to improve community hall facilities
✅ Community development works to support hall management committees
The SNP’s Alternative Budget would have supported our children and young people by investing in:
✅ Free School Meals for more eligible P6 and P7 pupils in 2023/24
✅ A pilot for free breakfasts in secondary schools
✅ School gardening and food-growing initiatives
The SNP’s Alternative Budget recognised our role in protecting our environment with:
✅ £150k to extend the Climate Emergency Fund
✅ £1.5m to improve walking with our Pavements and Footpaths Fund
✅ A commitment to detailed Climate Impact Assessments in future budgets
✅ The SNP’s Alternative Budget would have empowered local voices with a 2-year programme of intense and deliberative discussions on Council Plans using a ‘Citizens Assembly’ approach.
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