Where we are and where we will be

Where we are and where we will be
The idea of Edinburgh is a combination of place, soul and symbolic leadership of a nation

Tuesday 12 February 2008

Money to burn

My mole was looking fairly smug this week. I hear that they administrations weekend endeavours have put them within £200,000 of a balanced budget, allegedly. (thats the price of a new big screen in SNP speak). But given the sudden commitments to Gorgie farm and to breakfast clubs and to school playgrounds and the list goes on.. I wonder just how they will manage without some folk getting hurt.

What interesting for me is that on the one hand they are saying that there are no proposals for cuts to the voluntary sector and now they are saying that some of the proposals amy be accepted. So which is right. And if there are no proposals, where did the paper proposing them come from; did the officers write it without being asked, or where theyu asked to do something that was never going to be accepted. Just who is in charge here?

2 comments:

Malc said...

Come on Ewan! As a former council leader, you know the mess of the city's finances. Sometimes funding has to be cut. No one likes to do it. Difficult decisions have to be made.

But even you have to admit that to get within £200,000 of a balanced budget in the present financial climate is almost an achievement in itself.

Ewan said...

Malcolm

Good to hear from you again. I have to disagree with what you say. The finances we left them had £52m in the bank and a projected overspend no more than we had ever faced before. They just panicked and started shouting about a mess because they did not know what to do. We took tough decisions all the time. And given that the SNP claim we have more money than we have ever had, getting to within £200,000 is not really an achievement. We shall see on the 21st Feb what has actually been achieved but i am not holding my breath...

Ewan

Surgery Times

1st Wed @ Piershill Library, 30 Piershill Terrace.
2nd Wed @ Craigentinny Community Centre, Loaning Rd.
3rd Wed @ Duddingston Primary School, Duddingston Rd.

All 7:15pm -7:45pm

and the last Sat. Lochend YWCA, 198 Restalrig Road South
12noon -1pm


(no appointment needed, all during school terms)
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