Dumfries and Galloway councillor warns that services are at "absolute breaking point"

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A warning has been issued that council services are at “absolute breaking point”.Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Councillor Katie Hagmann fears essential services are under threat following the Scottish Government’s budget, which was announced on Thursday.Ms Hagmann is also the resources spokesperson for The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) which had called for an extra £1 billion to be given to local authorities.First Minister John Swinney allocated £570 million – but the local authority body claimed that represented just £71 million in real terms.Crisis talks between council leaders were held on Friday, after which SNP Councillor Ms Hagmann said: “Council services will now be at absolute breaking point and some may have to stop altogether.”“This is a result of cuts to our councils’ core budgets and direction on spend towards other Scottish Government priorities over the last few years.“The budget announcement compounds this and there is a real risk that many of our essential services will not only be cut but may have to stop altogether.“Council leaders were unanimous that we need to work together, with one local government voice, to raise our concerns at the highest level.”Speaking to BBC’s The Sunday Show at the weekend she added: “If we got the £1 billion that would save, potentially, job cuts.“What it translates to is equivalent of, say, 17,500 teachers.“We’re looking at essential services, things like youth work, things like economic development, working with our third sectors as well for domestic abuse and family support services.“All these are considered essential services and we’re at the front line of local government and it’s these types of services that we will be desperately trying to protect.”