To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure the long-term sustainability of community facilities such as swimming pools and libraries.
The Scottish Government places great importance on public libraries and leisure facilities and believes everyone should have access to these services. The Scottish Government has produced safer workplace guidance for public libraries and sport and leisure facilities to allow these services to be restored safely, however as independent corporate bodies it is for local authorities to decide when and what will be offered, and it is for the locally elected representatives to make these decisions.
Scotland’s councils have been allocated an additional £1.5 billion in direct support through the local government finance settlement and councils have also been granted additional financial flexibilities to address the financial pressures caused by COVID-19.
Furthermore, the 2021-22 Local Government Settlement of almost £11.7 billion provides a cash increase in local government day to day spending for local revenue services of £375.6 million or 3.5 per cent.