Do we get a fair share of funding?

David Carnduff • Published 4 Feb 2010 11:13 0 Comments

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HELENSBURGH and Lomond may be experiencing a shortfall of around £7 million each year in recurrent expenditure for day-to-day council services.

That's one of the conclusions contained in a discussion paper compiled by the Helensburgh Study Group, details of which are revealed publicly for the first time today in the Helensburgh Advertiser.

The group examined official figures to test the belief that Helensburgh and Lomond has been disadvantaged in the money it has received from Argyll and Bute Council.

The paper states: "We have about 30 per cent of Argyll and Bute's population. We generate about 30 per cent of council revenue, so we might expect to get back close to 30 per cent of the money on services after central and rural costs are taken off.

"Do we? The study group answer is 'apparently not'."

The paper also states that in the six years 2003 to 2009, the other three areas of Argyll and Bute appear to have had twice as much capital (i.e. project) funding per person as Helensburgh and Lomond.

The Study Group say their calculations exclude special allowances for meeting rural expenses, so their calculations are not challenging "rurality needs".

Convener of the Group's Finance Sub-Committee, Bill Hassall, said: "The figures are very complicated and it has not been possible to get all the data. More work needs to be done, but we think we have enough evidence to show that Helensburgh and Lomond has been contributing somewhat to the runnnig costs of the other three Areas for at least six years. "

Helensburgh Community Council Chairman, Nigel Millar, described the discussion paper as "a powerful piece of work - well researched, well written and easy to follow."

He added: "It backed up what many have suspected all along. Per head of the population, less money is spent by the Council in Helensburgh & Lomond than in the rest of Argyll & Bute. It is now up to the council to show this is not unfair."

In response, the council told the Advertiser: "Whilst we have not yet checked the detailed figures for accuracy, we have no reason to doubt them as the document is largely based on population and financial information supplied by the council. Our major concern with the entire report centres not around accuracy, but rather context and understanding.

"Whilst the report is correct in noting that population is the main driver for council funding, there is a wide variation across Scotland in levels of funding per head of population. In 2007-08, for instance, there was a variation of £2,339 per head of population between the top and bottom councils.

"This indicates that factors other than population have a significant impact on funding levels."

Councillor George Freeman, chairman of Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee, told the Advertiser that councillors had been provided with the finalised version of the report only on Tuesday and had not as yet had the opportunity read it or to discuss the contents which would be done in due course. He said: "It is important to emphasise that the cost of service delivery in our remote and rural communities, including our 25 inhabited islands, will always be much higher than in our urban centres.

"The most important question should be around the quality and standard of service delivery across Argyll & Bute and not on the cost of delivering that service within each of the four decentralised areas."

More details in Helensburgh Advertiser and the full discussion paper - 20 pages with 35 appendices - will be made available to to public on February 15. Copies will be in main and branch libraries.

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