A new report has revealed that Aberdeen residents receive less in Scottish Government funding than anybody else in the country.
The Granite City’s government grant was the lowest of Scotland’s 32 local authorities at around £330million for the 228,923 citizens – or around £1,440 per head.
Aberdeenshire Council was further revealed as the third worst-funded council in Scotland, receiving a slightly higher £1,574 per person.
Moray Council fared only slightly better, with residents receiving £1,646 per person, making it the 27th worst in the country.
The Highlands came in at 11th with £1,885 spend per head of population.
The island local authorities were given much higher funding, with Eilean Star getting the best deal with £3,576 per person, Shetland coming in second with £3,548 and Orkney the third best with £3,136.
Other Scottish cities comfortably eclipsed Aberdeen with Dundee’s 148,117 residents receiving £285million (£1,925 per head), Edinburgh getting £1,456 per head and Glasgow getting £2,034 per head.
That means that Aberdeen is ranked bottom of the pile in terms of per capita funding according to the report.
The city’s council chiefs instructed officers to prepare the report after their budget meeting on February 25.
It read: “This report is likely to be of interest to the public as it concerns the level of the council’s financial settlement compared to other local authorities.”
Last night angry administration members said the findings of the report, which will be debated at this month’s meeting of the council’s finance, policy and resources committee, proved that Holyrood was “punishing the city for its success”.
Labour finance convener Willie Young said: “Every way you slice it, we are 32 out of 32 when it comes to local government funding – except when it comes to bringing in taxes.
“I don’t want to take money from Dundee or Glasgow or Edinburgh. I just think we should be given a realistic settlement.”
Conservative vice-convener Ross Thomson said that the Scottish Government should “be pulling out the stops” to help the city through the oil industry downturn.
He said: “What we have here is a myth-busting and spin-busting report from our officers.
“Despite all the bluster from the SNP, we have been shown exactly the level of funding the government thinks the people of Aberdeen are worth.”
But Aberdeen Central SNP Holyrood candidate Kevin Stewart argued that the only way to change the situation was to rejoin the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, which the council left under a storm of controversy in March, 2015.
He said: “The Scottish Government has put in place floor funding that has benefited Aberdeen City Council by £13million this year.
“John Swinney has said he will look at the funding formula, so the best thing the council could do to change the settlement would be to rejoin COSLA.”
Scottish Government funding: How did north and north-east councils do?
The figures show funding per head of population, with a ranking out of the 32 councils across the country.
Aberdeen City: £1,140 (32/32)
Aberdeenshire: £1,574 (30/32)
Moray: £1,646 (27/32)
Highland: £1,885 (11/32)
Argyll and Bute: £2,242 (4/32)
Orkney: £3,136 (3/32)
Shetland: £3,548 (2/32)
Eilean Siar: £3,576 (1/32)
