PRESS RELEASE

Borders finance summit focuses on retaining local services

Michael Moore MP

29-Jun-2010

At yesterday’s Public Finance Summit hosted by Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale MSP Jeremy Purvis and Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk MP Michael Moore, a clear consensus emerged that in order to maintain a high standard of local services for the Borders, local agencies will need to work much closer together, particularly in budget planning.

The challenge that faces the Borders is delivering the same level of services with only 90-95% of the funds that were available in years past.

Speaking after the summit, Jeremy Purvis said:

Yesterday’s summit saw over 40 leaders from public and private agencies come together and focused on a joined-up approach to finance and budgeting. There is already innovative thinking going on in the Borders with the New Ways partnership, but the pressure on budgets means that this must be taken to a new level.

“In particular there was unanimous support toward working towards a ‘One Borders: One Budget’ approach where the spend of agencies in particular areas in the Borders will be mapped in order to determine how services can delivered differently and more efficiently.

“There will be changes but I am convinced that if the work is done now in preparing for the coming 4 years of very difficult budgets we can offset potentially even greater difficulties. An absolute priority in my view is to keep decision making local in the delivery of local services.”

Michael Moore added:

While facing tough choices, the Borders is potentially better placed to deal with the difficulties ahead than many other parts of Scotland because of the commitment of our local agencies to work together. I am encouraged by yesterday’s summit and the clear willingness of the participants to cooperate to ensure the best possible outcome for our area.

“I welcome the constructive engagement of all those involved in the summit, and look forward to continuing the work in the months and years to come. We have agreed to reconvene the summit in November following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review and the announcement of the Scottish Government’s proposed Budget for 2011.

ENDS

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