The council is protecting Renfrewshire

Councils are important to our local communities, and cuts to council budgets mean cuts to communities. Labour led Renfrewshire Council has shown what can be done in spite of the cuts if there is a political will. Because of Scottish Government cuts it’s had to postpone a number of projects which would have benefitted the community but what it has done is target its limited resources to best effect. Essential services will be protected. The charge for care services to the most vulnerable in our community will be cut. More will be spent on social care. Free public WIFI access will be provided in Paisley, Renfrew and Johnstone. £3.4m will go to fund a Living Wage package for all non-council care workers in the area. These are just a few of the initiatives in the budget revealed by Council leader Mark Macmillan. On top of that we have the good news that hundreds of families will have new kitchens and bathrooms fitted as part of £14m housing boost. Work also begins this year on the construction of 1,000 new socially rented homes in Renfrewshire by 2020. This massive investment in our area comes despite a 3.5 per cent funding cut from the Government at Holyrood. Renfrewshire Council is doing the best it can despite being the only mainland authority to be at the bottom of the funding table since 2010. Just think what could be done if Renfrewshire received a fair deal from the Scottish Government.