Saturday February 22nd 2025
Kirsty McNeill, Midlothian’s MP, writes her monthly column for Midlothian View.
Midlothian is growing because it’s an absolutely brilliant place to raise a family, with its population rising by a whopping 16.1% in the last ten years.
But funding from the SNP government hasn’t kept pace. With our NHS waiting lists on the rise and bus routes being cut, we’re not developing the kinds of amenities, services and infrastructure that are needed to support family life.
Last October, Midlothian Council launched a consultation on savings to bridge a budget gap of £9.41 million in 2025/6. This included a potential increase to Council Tax, as well as cuts to our libraries, school swimming programmes and Gala Days.
I promised to fight for the investment Midlothian needs, and I’m very proud to say that the Labour Government has delivered the largest funding settlement for Scotland in the history of devolution – resulting in nearly £5 billion extra which the SNP Government can choose to spend on much needed investment in our local services.
Decisions taken in our progressive Labour budget mean that the Scottish Government has received more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK – but the SNP needs to spend this wisely.
If the Scottish Government provides Midlothian with its fair share of this funding, there should be real opportunities for long-overdue investment in our communities.
After years of inaction and broken promises, real change for Midlothian – not empty words – is what we need.
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