Aberdeen: last in government support league
24/01/10 14:56 Filed in: Granite
Chips
When it comes to central government
support, Aberdeen is at the bottom of the Scottish league, once
Edinburgh’s capital city bonus is taken into account.
This may reflect the perception that Aberdeen is awash with money, thanks to the oil and gas industry. But the reality is that Aberdeen has been chronically underfunded in terms of infrastructure for many years.
Troubled Aberdeen City Council has the lowest government funding in Scotland
One need look no further than the bypass. Aberdeen must be the last major city in Britain to be bypassed. The previous transport Minister famously said that, if we wanted a bypass, we could be found ourselves.
Meanwhile governments north and south of the border have been happy to see the economy sustained by North Sea oil billions.
It’s not just the basic funding of local services that is in question. In Aberdeen we watch as millions are spent on infrastructure and flagship projects elsewhere in Scotland, but it always seems that precious little funding comes Aberdeen’s way.
As we face a more challenging future to sustain the North Sea oil industry in the future, and to seek to carve our place in the renewables industry, we need a more evenhanded government approach to funding.
This may reflect the perception that Aberdeen is awash with money, thanks to the oil and gas industry. But the reality is that Aberdeen has been chronically underfunded in terms of infrastructure for many years.
Troubled Aberdeen City Council has the lowest government funding in Scotland
One need look no further than the bypass. Aberdeen must be the last major city in Britain to be bypassed. The previous transport Minister famously said that, if we wanted a bypass, we could be found ourselves.
Meanwhile governments north and south of the border have been happy to see the economy sustained by North Sea oil billions.
It’s not just the basic funding of local services that is in question. In Aberdeen we watch as millions are spent on infrastructure and flagship projects elsewhere in Scotland, but it always seems that precious little funding comes Aberdeen’s way.
As we face a more challenging future to sustain the North Sea oil industry in the future, and to seek to carve our place in the renewables industry, we need a more evenhanded government approach to funding.