In hope of a budget consensus

Edinburgh Labour Finance spokesperson Councillor Ricky Henderson looks ahead to the council budget next year, and hopes against hope for consensus politics.

The Council's annual budget setting process is underway again. It's usually a tortuous and laborious exercise and I expect this year to be no different. With cuts raining down from Westminster and Holyrood, Council services are under increased pressure. Add an unfunded Council Tax Freeze to the mix (£7m year on year for Edinburgh) and it's clear that difficult decisions lie ahead.

You would think, therefore, that the "we're all in it together" spirit would result in a consensual cross party approach to setting the budget and agreeing the service priorities for the city in the years ahead? Sadly not.

The introduction of Single Transferable Vote to Scottish local government in 2007 changed the face of Scottish politics forever. Unfortunately, in Council chambers up and down the land (including Edinburgh) the "old" Scottish politics continue to be played out. In short, "If you're no' for us, you're agin us"

The SNP / LibDem Coalition in Edinburgh have been asked, and sometimes made positive noises in response, to change the budget setting process to being more collegiate and consensual, but no meaningful changes have come about.

So, when Budget Day arrives on Thursday 9th February 2012, we'll be faced with the usual pantomime of each political group having analysed budget papers from numerous Council officials and decided what savings are or are not acceptable, and a political set piece debate will ensue with the outcome (if everyone turns up) a foregone conclusion.

That said, last year, for the first time in living memory, we were able to reach agreement with the Conservative and Green Groups, on the day, that they would support our budget motion, in return for some minor amendments. We still lost the vote (Lord Provost's casting vote as usual) but it was at least a significant step towards trying to achieve agreement across the Council Chamber.

Without prejudging what group colleagues may bring to our budget discussions I would expect our priority will continue to be to protect front line services as far as possible and seek savings, if they have to be made, from non front line areas. Not as straightforward as it may seem; council staff working in "back office" roles still make a significant contribution towards to the running of the council, but, with a fixed - and reducing - budget, front line services have to be our main focus.