Yesterday, Dundee City Council set its revenue budget for 2025/26.
There were three proposals - LibDem, SNP and Labour. The Liberal Democrat proposal was for the lowest increase in Council Tax of 4.94% but the SNP administration won the vote (15-5 against us) and their proposal for an 8% increase was passed.
Cllr Fraser Macpherson, Liberal Democrat Council Group Leader, said :
“Many of the possible cuts proposals in the council’s recent budget consultation were totally unacceptable and our starting point was to listen to the feedback from Dundee residents in their concerns about many of the proposals. We totally rejected any possible cuts to the education service.
“We rejected shutting schools’ swimming pools, cutting school budgets or removing school crossing patrollers. We also avoided proposed increases to school meals charges. Unfortunately, SNP and Labour proposals cut devolved school budgets - a very unfortunate decision.
“We also rejected removing community funding – indeed we also found additional funding to support Dundee’s food network, whose teams across the city undertake vital work in helping those citizens in most need, maintaining the funding level at £500 000 for 2025/26.
“We also rejected any cuts to community and cultural groups across Dundee and we also ruled out any cuts to community safety wardens or welfare support including discretionary housing payments for those most in need.”
The Liberal Democrat proposals would have seen a more modest council tax increase than Dundee SNP and Dundee Labour. Many other councils also have increases of much more than 5% – for example, Edinburgh is raising its council tax by 8%, Fife Council by 8.2% and North Lanarkshire and Scottish Borders by 10%.
Councillor Craig Duncan, Liberal Democrat councillor for Broughty Ferry added :
“In our proposals, we are also able to have some growth – we said retain Broughty Ferry Castle museum staying open all year. While Labour and the SNP also agreed to keep the museum open, their proposals has the museum only open in the summer months.
"We also found funding to reduce car parking SNP and Labour charges increases in the West End, Hilltown and Broughty Ferry.
“We also rejected the proposal to move from fortnightly general waste bin collections to every three weeks.
"The LibDems have been very vocal about cuts to the council’s environment services under the SNP and we think cutting general waste bin collections would be a disaster. We also proposed more street cleaning posts and also had proposals to increase forestry, animal control, community wardens and countryside ranger posts.”
The Liberal Democrat proposals would have also seen Caird Park Golf Course remain open but neither Labour or the SNP supported this so sadly the golf course will now close.
Strathmartine councillor Daniel Coleman whose ward includes Caird Park added :
“We strongly opposed the SNP decision to close Caird Park Golf Course and tried to reverse the closure.
“The council has had some approaches from commercial organisations to partner with the council and Leisure and Culture Dundee to keep the golf course open into the long-term.
"To enable these discussions to progress, we were proposing funding the golf course in 2025/26, rather than see it closing in the next few weeks.”
Councillor Coleman added that LibDem proposals would have seen additional funding for roads resurfacing of £1 million and £500 000 for pavements improvements.
West End Councillor Michael Crichton highlighted proposals in the Liberal Democrat budget plans to reverse SNP cuts to some supported bus services.
Councillor Crichton said :
“Our proposals would have restored some supported bus services like the 204 in the West End and Lochee, the 206 in Broughty Ferry and the sheltered shopping service, axed last year by the SNP. This was a cruel cut affecting elderly citizens disproportionately.
“We would have also reduced not increase the garden waste charge and also reduce the bulky uplifts charge which the SNP and Labour have increased.”
The Liberal Democrat budget proposals, in addition to a council tax increase of under 5%, also achieved savings to ensure a balanced budget.
These included reducing purchases of furniture, car allowances, travel and promotion and marketing in some departments.
The LibDems would have removed the second civic vehicle, reduced hospitality budgets and axed alcohol purchases and also accept officer proposals to review existing unfilled staff vacancies.
Councillor Macpherson concluded :
“The SNP has run Dundee City Council for 16 years and we have seen under its watch continual cuts to services – 16 years of the SNP has been a disaster for Dundee services and we tried in our budget proposals this year to try to reduce any detrimental impact on council services.
“The budgetary situation has been also severely impacted by Labour’s increase in employer national insurance increase which has added over £6 million to council costs over the next year.
“The Liberal Democrat budget proposals we feel gave the right balance between minimising the council tax increase without deep, disastrous cuts to services.”