Government makes hard work of explaining cuts

THE Scottish Government was today challenged to clear up confusion over cuts in funding which threaten a host of projects helping people from the poorest areas of the city find jobs.

MSPs and councillors from across the political spectrum have been campaigning to save the 2.2 million of government cash for the Capital City Partnership, which funds employability schemes in Craigmillar, Muirhouse and Murrayburn.

They took heart from comments by Finance Minister John Swinney during the budget debate in the Scottish Parliament when he said the issue was being examined.

However, 24 hours later, another minister appeared to give a different message.

Now city politicians are calling on the government to clarify the situation.

Edinburgh North & Leith Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm said there had been three different positions from three different ministers in just over a week.

He originally raised the matter with Housing and Communities Minister Alex Neil and received a letter on February 4 in which Mr Neil said: "It has not been possible to maintain this particular funding support in the face of unprecedented cuts from Westminster."

After Edinburgh West Lib Dem MSP Margaret Smith voiced concern about the cuts during the budget debate last Wednesday, Mr Swinney said he had also been lobbied on the issue by Cabinet colleague Kenny MacAskill and the council's SNP economic development leader Tom Buchanan. He said: "The Government is acutely aware of the points raised. The issue is being examined. The Government will do what it can."

However, when Edinburgh Central Labour MSP Sarah Boyack asked a question in the parliament the following day, Angela Constance, Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning, told her: "The funding to which Ms Boyack refers was additional time-limited funding that was given to the City of Edinburgh Council for 2009-11 to address regeneration, employability and poverty. I stress that it was additional and time-limited money."

The city council has made adjustments in its budget to continue at least some of the funding for the projects for the coming year, but cuts will still have to be implemented.

Mr Chisholm said: "John Swinney said one thing on Wednesday, Angela Constance said another thing on Thursday and Alex Neill said something else in a letter to me - so three ministers, three different stories.

"A lot of really good projects and services have lost out. Some of them may have been saved for this year because the council has found money from other sources. But that's a one-off. It doesn't remove the problem for next year."

Ms Boyack said she had been "surprised and disappointed" at Ms Constance's reply. She said: "We thought we were going to be pushing at an open door. It has left everyone confused. The government needs its ministers to talk to each other."

Ms Smith said she had been reassured by Mr Swinney's remarks. "At the end of the day he is the one who holds the purse strings. Maybe Angela Constance was not reading from the same script."

Councillor Buchanan said he was in discussion with civil servants from Mr Swinney's department. He said: "I'm cautiously encouraged."