Swinney lays council cuts blame

John Swinney said previous administrations were to blame

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Finance Secretary John Swinney has blamed political rivals for the multi-million pound budget cuts facing Aberdeen City Council.

Hundreds of people are expected to take to the city's streets on Saturday for a protest march.

Council leaders in Aberdeen admitted difficult choices had to be made and blamed years of under funding.

Mr Swinney said it was a result of previous administrations of the council not living within their means.

The protestors are voicing their opposition to the proposals which will affect schools, sports facilities and services for the disabled and vulnerable.

Many of the cuts in services due to budget savings took effect this week.

Leisure attractions such as the art deco Bon Accord Baths, Aberdeen's oldest pool, did not open.

'Problems inherited'

Mr Swinney said in a written reply to concerns from Aberdeen South MSP Nicol Stephen that he agreed the council was facing "a set of very difficult circumstances".

He said: "It is clear that the council's problems are not new. They have been building up over a number of years and no effective action has been taken by previous administrations of the Council to rectify this situation.

"What concerns me in particular is that the council is in a position where, according to Audit Scotland's best value report on Aberdeen City Council made public on 20 March, its financial health is now 'precarious'.

"That would appear to me to suggest that the new administration of Aberdeen City Council is wrestling with problems inherited from its predecessors."

Aberdeen councillor, Willie Young, secretary of the city's Labour group, said that his party had always successfully managed the budget.

He said: "This is typical of the SNP - when things are not going right blame Westminster, and when it's not Westminster's fault it was someone else 10 years ago."

The public hearing into Aberdeen City Council's finances is set to be held next month, BBC Scotland understands.

The Accounts Commission will hear first-hand from the council to gain "a greater understanding of the council's difficulties".

The controller of audit's report on best value and community planning at the council highlighted concerns.

It is understood the public hearing is set to take place in the middle of May, possibly 13 May.

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