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Plea for action after Scottish Government declines funding for flood damaged bridges in Aberdeenshire

The Scottish Government has refused to provide Aberdeenshire Council with exceptional funding.
The Scottish Government has refused to provide Aberdeenshire Council with exceptional funding.

The Scottish Government has refused to provide Aberdeenshire Council with exceptional funding to repair bridges in King Edward that were severely damaged by flash floods.

In September 2019, torrential rain battered bridges around the north-east, leaving residents in limbo as six were left out of action and with estimated repair costs of £1.26million.

Aberdeenshire Council previously said there is no funding within the current budget to carry out the work.

MP for Banff and Buchan David Duguid said he is “disappointed” by the Scottish Government’s decision and that “constituents in this area are still living with the disruption” caused by the “extreme weather” last year.

Mr Duguid said: “It is a major headache for farmers right now during the harvesting season and is resulting in much longer trips for many people travelling for work or to school.

“I am still in contact with the residents, and have also raised this at UK Government level – even though road maintenance is the responsibility of the local council.

“Perhaps if the council received a fairer funding deal from the Scottish Government, there would be money available to fix these local crossings.”

King Edward resident Caroline Close said locals are “disappointed” with the Scottish Government’s decision and hopes the UK  Government will take “an entirely different approach”.

Mrs Close said: “We hoped the Scottish Government would see that our situation required intervention from them.”

A local authority spokesman said: “Aberdeenshire Council is disappointed that the Scottish Government has not committed to offer any financial assistance directly towards the replacement of some or all of the six bridges which remain “out of service”, having collapsed during the severe rainstorm event back in September 2019.

“The council will now wait to hear back from a similar request for direct funding assistance, made to the UK Government, before determining whether there is any funding that might be available to allocate to the challenge created by the loss of those six bridges.

“This will be against the continuing backdrop of significant financial pressure on Aberdeenshire Council, which is limiting investment options across the Aberdeenshire bridge network”.

A Scottish Government spokesman added: “We are committed to working with councils to help improve the condition and safety of the road network through the Road Collaboration Programme which is jointly funded between national and local government.

“In addition, road authorities have been working to make positive changes to how road maintenance is undertaken, with a focus on efficiency, collaboration and innovation.

“Local authorities will receive a total funding package £11.4 billion in 2020-21 through the local government finance settlement, a real terms increase compared with 2019-20. In 2020-21, Aberdeenshire Council will receive £494.5 million to fund local services.

“It is the responsibility of individual councils to manage their own budgets and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities.”