Unions attack Glasgow council cuts
Unions gathered outside the city chambers to demand more cash from central government and plead with Glasgow’s authority to make no cuts.
Protesters chanted “no more cuts” as councillors met to present their plans to plug a spending gap of around £50m.
The SNP administration agreed a late deal with the Green group to pass its budget, which includes a council tax rise, introducing bulk uplift charges and closing the Blairvadach Outdoor Resource Centre.
GMB Scotland organiser Rhea Wolfson said: “These proposals suggest we have a council that can’t even keep the city clean yet thinks it can save the planet.
“The council’s response to Glasgow’s waste crisis is to cut nearly £5.3 million of resource from the services trying to tackle it.
“This means less cleansing staff on the streets, financial charges on already hard pressed homes to remove bulk waste and ever increasing residual waste in our communities.”
She added: “With the prospect of further cuts to services like food waste collections and gully cleaning in the years ahead, things will only get worse.
“Instead of demanding more investment from central government to tackle Glasgow’s many problems, this council has shown no bravery and no plan in the fight to save our city.”
Before the meeting she had called on the council’s political leadership to join the unions in requesting a “massive cash investment” from governments.
“Glasgow can’t take it, Glasgow is on its knees,” she said. “The people of Glasgow aren’t getting a fair deal, the workers of Glasgow aren’t getting a fair deal.”
Wendy Dunsmore, of Unite, said the cuts would have a “devastating effect for Glasgow”, particularly for the vulnerable, schoolchildren and the elderly.
And Unison’s Brian Smith urged councillors to pass a no cuts budget.
“It’s a strategy we’ve had for a number of years that they haven’t done,” he said. “We’re continuing to make that argument because we believe we’re right and they’re wrong.”
He said as cuts continued “statutory responsibilities” were put at risk and that charges, such as for bulk uplifts and Glasgow Life car parks, were “hidden costs” which added to the impact of the council tax rise.
“It doesn’t look like anything is going to change in the next few years because they’re planning for cuts next year and the following year.”
Sean Clerkin, of the Scottish Tenants Association, said: “I believe this budget will further impoverish Glaswegians and lead to more destitution and homelessness.
“The council should have resisted further cuts by imposing a no cuts budget.”
City treasurer Allan Gow told councillors he was “very disappointed” with the settlement from the Scottish Government.
He said he hoped to remove some savings if the authority received a better final settlement.