That the Parliament notes calls for fairer funding to be allocated among Scotland’s 32 local authorities and 14 NHS boards; further notes reports that Aberdeenshire Council is the fourth lowest funded local authority in Scotland, receiving less government funding per capita than the Scottish average; believes that NHS Grampian is the second lowest funded NHS board per head of population, is reportedly facing a deficit of nearly £50 million, has just 1.4 beds per 1,000 people, and has one of the fastest growing elderly populations in Scotland; considers that rural and island communities cover large geographical areas, which come with unique challenges and require significant resources, particularly with regard to infrastructure maintenance, service delivery and issues that arise from extreme weather; recognises concerns that local services are under immense pressure, and notes the view that it is important to ensure that communities are properly resourced to enable them to continue to have access to local services that meet their needs, including reliable public transport, local schools and health and social care services.
Supported by:
Miles Briggs, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, Liam Kerr, Douglas Ross, Annie Wells, Tess White