Scottish Government to provide local councils with £11.5bn funding package next year

The Scottish Government will provide councils with a funding package worth over £11.5bn next year.

Once all 32 councils have confirmed that they have set budgets which will deliver across all the terms of the package, including an extension of the council tax freeze, key education and social care commitments and supporting the commitment of 1,000 more police officers, a further Order will be bought before Parliament to distribute the remaining revenue grant to local government, giving a total revenue package of £10.9bn.

Councils have until the end of February to provide the confirmation required. All 32 councils have provisionally accepted the terms of the package.

The illustrative figures for budgets in the period up to 2014-15 would maintain local government's share of a flat cash total. The illustrative figures should provide a framework within which public sector organisations, and stakeholder groups across Scotland, can discuss options and consider the range of possibilities within which they can plan for the future.

Finance Secretary John Swinney said: "Councils which accept the package will see an average funding reduction superior to that for local government in England, and receive greater protection than other parts of the Scottish Budget."

Further information:
Scottish Government