NEWLANDS WELCOMES KEY FUNDING AREAS IN COUNCIL BUDGET

LOCAL MP PRAISES COUNCIL ON NEW BUDGET PLANS

Gavin Newlands, SNP MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has welcomed key areas of spending in the Renfrewshire Council’s 2019/20 budget. The budget includes ambitious spending plans such as £29million for school buildings, and a £40 million five-year investment strategy for Renfrewshire roads, cycle routes and pedestrian paths, but it also includes a targeted investment package aimed at protecting the most vulnerable people.

As part of this £4.3 million package, £10,000 will be allocated to ensure staff are trained to support victims of domestic abuse. This will play a key part of Renfrewshire Council’s leading work on tackling domestic abuse, which has been spearheaded by Renfrewshire’s Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC).

The spending package also contains £115,000 recurring revenue to support a 3% allowance increase for Foster and Kinship Carers recognising the life-changing contribution they make to our most vulnerable children and young people

Newlands welcomed the spending commitment:

“Renfrewshire Council’s SNP administration is to be commended for a budget that commits to helping people across our communities.

“Their £4.3 million funding package targeted at protecting the most vulnerable people in Renfrewshire, including the rise in Foster and Kinship carers allowance, is extremely welcome and I’m confident it will make a real difference to people’s lives.

“£10,000 on domestic abuse training may not sound like much, but this is just one example of smart spending from our Council which will go far in making Renfrewshire an even safer place, and it is an example of the excellent leadership shown by our local SNP administration.

“I look forward to seeing the results flow from this budget, and I hope that other Councils will look to Renfrewshire as an example of proactive local government.”