Decision to slash Big Noise Torry’s funding slammed by SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn

By Ross Hempseed

March 3 2023, 7:46 pm

Big Noise Torry provides free music tuition to hundreds of children in disadvantaged parts of Aberdeen. Image: Darrell Benns/ DC Thomson.

Aberdeen SNP MP Stephen Flynn has slammed the decision to cut funding for Big Noise Torry – despite his own party wielding the axe.

Big Noise Torry offers free music tuition to more than 750 children from disadvantaged backgrounds across the Granite City.

It was one of the big casualties of Aberdeen City Council’s budget cuts on Wednesday, with members agreeing to completely withdraw its £750,000 support.

Mr Flynn, who represents Aberdeen South and is also the SNP leader at Westminster, said the programme does is “invaluable” for childhood development.

Aberdeen City Council is led by an administration made up of the SNP and Lib Dems.

Mr Flynn said: “Our council had hard decisions to make in order to protect school budgets and music tuition across the city, something opposition parties simply don’t have to deal with, but there is absolutely no doubt as to the importance of the work that Big Noise do in Torry.

SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn. Image: DC Thomson.

“That being said, I have written to the Scottish Government to see what role they can play in supporting Aberdeen City Council to keep Big Noise operating in the city.

“This isn’t an issue to play politics with and it’s right that all possible options are looked at to keep the project going.”

‘Huge blow’

The future of Big Noise Torry had protesters outside Aberdeen’s Town House banging the drum, during Wednesday’s council budget meeting.

Nicola Killean, chief executive of Sistema Scotland, which delivers the programme, said she was “shocked and heartbroken” by the council’s decision.

“It’s an absolutely huge blow for us as an organization.”

The organisation is determined to fight on and will begin fundraising to keep the important programme running.

Big Noise Torry organisers say they will have to fundraise to keep going after ACC decided to pull their funding. Image: Big Noise Torry.

Following the comments made by Mr Flynn, Aberdeen Labour councillor Deena Tiserra said the fact he was condemning the cuts showed how “brutal” the decision is.

She said: “The SNP budget could have supported the Big Noise project at Torry as it was a social inclusion programme delivered through the medium of music, however it chose to cut the funding from over £750,000 to zero.

“The very fact that the SNP leader at Westminster Stephen Flynn is condemning his own group for this brutal cut tells you everything you need to know about this SNP budget.

“Unfortunately crocodile tears from Stephen Flynn MP will not reinstate the budget for the Sistema programme in Aberdeen and its the children of Torry in his constituency that will be the losers.”