08 August 2003
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities has asked for an early meeting to put forward its bid for a share of the Scottish Executive's reported £500m underspend.
Cosla president Pat Watters has written to Finance Minister Andy Kerr requesting 'an early meeting', following reports last week that the Executive still has the money left over from the 2002/03 financial year.
Watters said councils had 'struggled for years' with tight budgets and been forced to make difficult choices on where to focus spending. 'The Executive's underspend once again provides the opportunity for some very welcome investment in public services,' he added.
Watters said he was looking forward to meeting Kerr to 'give him some helpful suggestions as to how to spend Scotland's £500m windfall'.
But a spokeswoman for the Executive refused to confirm whether the reported underspend did in fact exist. She said the parliamentary elections held in May had disrupted the usual reporting schedule. 'The figures are not yet finalised and they are still to be audited,' she said. 'We expect to make a statement shortly after Parliament returns in September. Because of this, she added, a meeting with Cosla would be 'a bit premature'.
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