Aberdeen council chiefs travelled to Edinburgh yesterday to discuss the city’s future funding settlements with senior Scottish Government ministers.
Council leader Jenny Laing and finance convener Willie Young met Finance Secretary Derek McKay and Kevin Stewart, minister for local government and housing, to discuss the Granite City’s funding deal.
It comes after a report revealed earlier this year that the government grant for Aberdeen was the lowest of Scotland’s 32 local authorities at £330million for the city’s 228,923 citizens, around £1,440 per head.
Last night, Ms Laing said they had been “positive meetings” – and suggested the government had softened its position on the council rejoining Cosla.
Aberdeen City Council quit the council body in March last year and formed the breakaway Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP) with Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire councils.
The government has repeatedly said it will only negotiate with Cosla on financial settlements, but Ms Laing is hopeful there is potential for further talks with SLGP.
She said: “From our point of view they were both very positive meetings.
“Mr Stewart also gave us an indication he would keep open lines of communication both with us and the SLGP, which we obviously very much welcome.
“I think everyone is starting to accept that councils should be able to be members of any grouping they choose and we should be spoken to given we represent 25% of the Scottish population.”
Aberdeen Central MSP Mr Stewart said: “I was pleased to meet with Aberdeen councillors Jenny Laing and Willie Young and have a constructive discussion around the Haudagain junction improvement scheme.
“I am gratified that the Scottish Government has such a strong record of investment in infrastructure projects in Aberdeen and the north-east of Scotland, such as this junction improvement work.
“Councillor Laing also has a leading role in the Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP), and I have been keen to establish contact with the partnership, following my meeting last month with Cosla’s leadership.
“While the Scottish Government only conduct negotiations through Cosla, I look forward to having further constructive discussions with all local authorities, SLGP and COSLA about the key issues important to each of them in future.”
