Scottish councils given 11 per cent funding increase

An increase of almost 11 per cent in funding will be given to
local authorities next year.

Minister for Finance and Public Services Andy Kerr also
announced a further above inflation increase in council funding for
the following year.

Kerr said: “Local authorities will get an extra £350
million pounds on top of the three year allocations we announced
last year. This brings the total revenue grant support
they’ll receive to £6.7 billion. That will rise again in
2003-04 to over £7 billion.”

“The additional resources I am announcing today build on top of
the real term increase announced last year. The allocations reflect
our priorities for providing children with the best possible start
in life and close the opportunity gap,” he added.