Row brews in Moray over 'missing' £2.6m
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A political row has developed over a £2.6million grant allocated for Moray Council by Westminster.
The argument centres on how much of the cash has – and will – reach the local authority.
Jamie Halcro Johnston, the Conservative MSP whose ward includes Moray, said: "The Scottish Government has received an extra £155m through Barnett Consequentials which is specifically intended to help local councils with the costs of the coronavirus pandemic.
"The UK government made the announcement over six weeks ago but Moray Council is still waiting for the money, despite Scottish ministers promising that they would pass it on.
"Given the track record of the SNP in prioritising their own pet political projects it is perhaps not surprising that we require more than promises before we believe that the money will actually arrive here in Moray.
"We need to see the cash in the bank so that the Council can get on with its vital tasks confident that it won’t fall into a financial black hole."
Councillor Tim Eagle, Leader of the Conservative Group on Moray Council, added: "We believe that we are owed about £2.6m.
"We very badly need this financial assistance as it falls to the Council to deliver so many of the services, including social care and schooling, that our communities rely on during the coronavirus pandemic.
"Our people are doing a great job and they deserve support.
"With the Council’s costs up, and our income down, and facing a budgetary crisis anyway, the transfer from the UK Government is absolutely essential and must not be delayed by the Holyrood middle-men."
However the council's leader Graham Leadbitter, who is in the SNP, stated that the first instalment of the cash had already been paid, and that three more instalments would be forthcoming on a weekly basis throughout June.
He added: "The council has no concern with cash flow. Additional funding is being put in place in good time to cover our expenditure.
"The Scottish Government provided us with £20million in small business grant funding weeks ago. There is still £4million of that cash for local businesses to apply for.
"It would be a far better use of of their time if the Tories could focus on lobbying UK Government ministers to support the Scottish Government and local councils in Scotland."
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