Aberdeen Labour accused of misleading community over Bucksburn Swimming Pool
The Aberdeen Labour budget proposed the same cuts to Sport Aberdeen as the SNP/Lib Dem budget
Last updated 29th Jan 2024
Aberdeen City Council's Finance Convener says he's "astounded" at the "hypocrisy" from the city's Labour group.
Labour's budget proposed cuts to Sport Aberdeen funding of £687,000, the same as the cuts that were implemented by the SNP/Liberal Democrat partnership.
It's lead to Cllr Alex McLennan claiming the Labour group leader Cllr Barney Crockett and Cllr Graeme Lawrence (both Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone ward) are "misleading" the community.
"The hypocrisy we are seeing from Aberdeen Labour, under the leadership of Cllr Crockett, is quiet astounding.
"Aberdeen Labour voted to reduce Sport Aberdeen’s budget by £687 thousand – the same as the partnership budget – which has meant the Sport Aberdeen’s board have had to consider their options based on that reduction.
"I would go as far to say that Cllrs Crockett and Lawrence are trying to mislead the community of Bucksburn given they too voted for the reduction in Sport Aberdeen funding.
"Both Cllr Crockett and Cllr Lawrence need to come clean and own up to the fact that the Labour budget proposed cutting Sport Aberdeen, as well as cutting over £4 million from head teacher’s budgets, which would have had an even most devastating impact our city.
"We were faced with an incredibly difficult financial position, requiring us to save in the order of £46 million, and our partnership priority was to protect and invest in education and to mitigate against the cost-of-living crisis that is affecting everyone in our city."
Cllr Crockett has been approached for a comment.