Agreement at the Scottish Parliament this week to increase Moray Council’s budget allocation by almost £6m is being hailed as a “fair deal”.
The Local Government Finance Order was agreed at Holyrood on Thursday and will see the allocation to Moray Council from 2015/16 increasing from £154.55m to £160.32m.
Aberdeenshire Council will also see their budget rise from £406.05m to £414.72m.
The package will include funding aimed at maintaining the council tax freeze for another year as well as an element aimed at maintaining teacher numbers at 2014/15 levels, mitigation of the Bedroom Tax and provision of free school meals for children in P1-P3.
Stewart Stevenson, the SNP MSP for Banffshire & Buchan Coast, said: “This latest funding boost from the Scottish Government will be welcomed by people across Aberdeenshire and Moray and is another example of the SNP’s commitment to investment in our vital public services.
“The government is providing a fair deal for local government and is delivering on key policies benefiting local people – from the council tax freeze which is protecting family budgets during tough economic times to free school meals to give our youngest pupils the best possible start in life.
“This funding will also see the number of teachers in Aberdeenshire and Moray maintained at current levels – and will keep people across my constituency protected against the imposition of Westminster’s Bedroom Tax.
“The Scottish Government will continue to work alongside our partners in local government to deliver the best possible deal for people in Scotland – and to protect our public services as much as possible from the austerity agenda being imposed by Westminster.”