Glasgow sets three-year budget focused on poverty and communities

Published: 15 February 2024

Glasgow has set a budget that targets poverty, invests in support for communities and freezes Council Tax for the next year.

Councillors met today to agree spending plans for the next three years, with members eventually backing joint SNP / Green proposals.

The budget holds Council Tax at its current levels for the year ahead, but assumes increases in the following two years.

Susan Aitken said: "Councils are operating in exceptionally difficult circumstances, but my City Government's focus will always be on transformational support for households living in poverty.

"Today, we have used the opportunity to set a three-year budget to create some space to redesign services, build our financial resilience and invest in and protect the services that Glaswegians rely on."

Key investments include £6m to accelerate improvements in roads, footpaths, cycleways and in parks and open spaces; £1m to support public health and £1.5m for Glasgow's holiday food provision - bringing the total programme to £2m each year.

Members also approved more than £23m of capital spending - including £7.2m on the roll out of better bin and recycling facilities; £5.6m to replace boilers and outdated lighting in council properties, and nearly £9m to fast track the conversion of old streetlights to efficient LEDs, reducing carbon emissions and generating cash savings in the future.

City Treasurer and Deputy Leader Cllr Richard Bell said: "This budget invests in our priorities - reducing poverty and supporting communities. 

"It channels extra money into tackling poverty, supporting the excellent work that Glasgow Helps and our poverty pathfinder are undertaking - and providing resources to secure the future of our vital holiday food programme, while expanding social prescribing to support health and wellbeing.

"We are going to invest millions of pounds in improving roads, pavements and open spaces - along with more for better, efficient streetlighting, bins and recycling facilities.

"But budgets are also about the decisions we don't take - and that is why we won't be moving to four-weekly bin collections, changing school transport or cutting school swimming lessons."

Co-leader of the Scottish Green group, Cllr Jon Molyneux said: "Green councillors have worked hard to help set a three-year budget which responds to the challenges Glasgow faces - not only the financial pressures facing the council but also the need to support our communities by tackling poverty and inequality, responding to the housing emergency, and supporting local climate action.

"We are pleased this budget provides funding to reduce our citizens' reliance on foodbanks, investment in repurposing vacant buildings into new homes, and a citywide programme for new street trees, which can help reduce flooding and make our communities greener.

"Importantly, this budget will also mean we develop new sources of income, such as a Visitor Levy, so we can invest in things that matter to Glaswegians, like having better buses, cleaner and safer streets, and improving our parks and greenspaces. We will continue to champion the need to invest in the high quality services our citizens need and deserve."