Scotland's councils warned that vital local services are at risk without a fairer funding settlement, as COSLA launched its Budget lobbying campaign today.
The umbrella body says local government has made around £5bn of savings since 2010-11 and faces a further £529m funding gap in 2026-27.
Culture and leisure spending has fallen by 26% in real terms over that period, while corporate support spending is down 25%.
Councils educate more than 700,000 pupils, support almost 98,000 people with care at home and maintain 54,000 kilometres of roads, according to COSLA.
COSLA resources spokesperson Kelly Parry said there was ‘little left to cut without communities feeling the impact’.
‘The choice is clear: either we invest in local services or we accept their decline. Communities across Scotland deserve better than that,’ she said.
COSLA is calling for councils to have flexibility when it comes to setting council tax rates; multi-year funding arrangements; and reduced ringfenced and directed funding.
