TRADE UNIONS sought assurances from the Scottish government today, demanding that emergency funding designated for councils will be paid in full. 

Unison wrote to Finance Secretary Kate Forbes outlining its concerns about the financial impact of Covid-19 on local authorities. 

Councils across Scotland are under severe pressure due to the financial impact of the pandemic, which Unison said is creating uncertainty over service provisions and the safety and job security of those who deliver them.

The British government has announced an additional £1.6 billion of support south of the border, with £155 million for Scotland calculated through the Barnett Formula. 

Despite this, the union says it remains unclear when and how the money will be distributed to councils.

Unison head of local government Johanna Baxter said: “This Covid-19 crisis has increased the pressure on local authority budgets through increased charges for PPE and procurement of services, at the same time as their other revenue streams like business rates and charges have dried up.

“Covid-related deaths in care homes are now outnumbering those in hospitals or at home.

“The scale of the crises that local authorities are having to deal with — and the impact on their resources — should be abundantly clear.”

Unison’s call comes after questions about additional funding for councils were posed to the Scottish government by Scottish Labour earlier this week. 

On Wednesday, Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack said the government must support councils by providing them with the entirety of the £310 million additional support from the two sets of funding from the British government outlined by Unison. 

The Scottish government said it would work with councils and that any additional funding for authorities would take into account ongoing pressures.