Letters / Misleading
There are sensible ways for MSPs to build relationships with Shetland Islands Council making very difficult choices about education across Shetland.
Jean Urquhart is a nationalist and Mary Scanlon is a Tory and they both manage a constructive relationship with the SIC.
This is not a skill that can be levied at Mike Mackenzie. His claims on the SIC’s financial position are ludicrous. (Let’s work together; SN, 06/06/14 and Opinion: There is always an alternative; 30/05/14)
Rather than having more money as he states, his SNP government has cut the SIC budget by 20 per cent in real terms between 2010/11 and 2015/16.
The independent projections for 2016/17 and 2017/18 are for a further 4.5-5.5 per cent reduction.
The SNP majority government could have reformed local government finance to help places like Shetland but have not.
They have reduced local financial decision making to just 7 per cent of the overall council budget and even that is frozen by central government dictat.
The SNP used to believe in a local income tax but that commitment has long been dropped.
I would much rather the SIC maintained primary schools and secondary schools across Shetland to deliver the best education our young people need for their futures.
But to claim the SIC has more money now and in the future is misleading the Shetland public. That is wrong and will not go unnoticed.
Perhaps the nationalist MSP should spend some time lobbying his own SNP government for a reverse to the 20 per cent cuts that he voted for and a reintroduction of local income tax which I certainly can’t find in the taxpayer funded SNP manifesto for the referendum.
Tavish Scott
MSP for Shetland
Constituency Office
Lerwick
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