Hyslop Backs Extra £8.692m for West Lothian to Tackle Covid 19
Linlithgow Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, has backed a vote in Holyrood approving £8.692m extra funding for West Lothian Council in light of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
This extra funding is on top of the local government finance settlement of £11.4 billion, which already provided an increase of £589.4 million (5.8%) compared to the previous year.
Fiona commented,
“The pandemic has put real pressure on families and our local services, and I am pleased to support the announcement of £8.692m extra funding to West Lothian Council from the Scottish Government so that the local authority is better equipped to deal with these pressures.
“The boost in funding includes supporting access to food welfare and helping frontline services. I also welcome the additional flexibility given to councils in how money is spent, allowing resources to be diverted to the COVID-19 response if required.”
ENDS
Editor Notes:
Almost £258 million extra funding has been approved for vital local services across Scotland, such as food provision for those in need, education and social care.
The Scottish Government is in discussions with local authorities over providing a further £72 million – which will bring the total additional funding to almost £330 million.