"The Council delivery plan which forms part of our strategic planning approach has helped to lay the foundations to counter the centralising approach of the Scottish Government towards local government, which has resulted in North Ayrshire being one of the lowest funded councils over the last decade.
We are concerned that this ongoing situation is having a detrimental impact on the Council’s ability to provide important public services for our citizens both now and in the future. We note that Pauline McNeill, Scottish Labour’s local government spokeswoman, has pointed out that research shows that the Scottish Government has cut Council’s non-ringed revenue funding by £973.3m in real terms between 2013-14 and 2021-22
In order to look at alternatives to ensure North Ayrshire can reach its full potential we suggest that the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Scotland asking him if the UK government would consider dealing directly with COSLA and North Ayrshire Council in considering allocating grant funding, to ensure that North Ayrshire Council receives its fair share of funding.
The UK Treasury’s “broad shoulders” has meant that
a an additional £13.3 Billion had been delivered to support Scottish public services through the crisis. The UK Government’s furlough and self-employment support schemes had protected more than 930,000 Scottish jobs while some £3.4 Billion in loans had helped over 90,000 Scottish businesses
b. funding has enabled the research and production of a number of vaccines which have enabled 2m Scots to be vaccinated – an amazing feat by scientists.
c . a “Levelling up Fund” has been set up. This will enable structural funds to be distributed directly to Local Authorities - which would be devolution in its truest sense.
This last point was promoted by the Chancellor in the Budget when he announced the UK Government’s “Levelling Up Fund” whereby over the next 4 years there will at least £800m available for investment, in the devolved nations, in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities. This offers North Ayrshire Council a unique opportunity to fund regeneration and town centre investment.
Economic differences remain between different parts of the UK, including our cities, ex-industrial towns, and rural and coastal communities. These economic differences have real implications: they affect people’s lives through their pay, work opportunities, health and life chances. Tackling these economic differences and driving prosperity as part of ‘levelling up’ left behind regions of the UK.
Bids are welcome for regeneration schemes and town centre investment to upgrade eyesore buildings and dated infrastructure, acquire and regenerate brownfield sites, invest in secure community infrastructure and crime reduction, bring public services and safe community spaces into town centres and improve the public realm including high streets.
Therefore we move that the Council:
1. Regrets that local government continues to be at the forefront of Scottish Government austerity;
2. Instructs the Chief Executive to write to the Secretary of State for Scotland asking him if the UK government would consider dealing directly with COSLA and North Ayrshire Council in considering allocating grant funding, to ensure that North Ayrshire Council receives its fair share of funding;
3. Instructs the Chief Executive to submit a Bid to the Regeneration and Town Centre Investment Fund section of the “Levelling up Fund” which welcomes bids to upgrade eyesore buildings and dated infrastructure, acquire and regenerate brownfield sites, invest in secure community infrastructure and crime reduction, and bring public services and safe community spaces into towns, maintaining, regenerating, or creatively repurposing to improve the public realm;
4. Requests that the local Members of Parliament supports any Bid that the Council makes.”