Extra £10 million for road maintenance

Local authorities are set to benefit from extra funding to cover the cost of roads maintenance and make additional repairs to road surfaces, following the extended wintry weather.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has taken the decision to allocate an additional £10 million for all 32 councils,  with the details of the distribution to be agreed with COSLA.  

Mr Mackay said:

“Scotland experienced unprecedented levels of extreme weather in recent months, culminating in the issuing of our first-ever Red Alert for snow by the Met Office in late February.

“The severe weather led to local authorities incurring unexpected additional costs to their maintenance budgets, and simultaneously caused more damage to Scotland’s road network.

“By assisting councils to keep our road networks safe and efficient, we’re not only improving conditions for road users, we’re also extending the life span of that network – benefiting the wider economy.

“We have agreed a local government finance settlement of £10.7 billion, which will provide a real terms boost in both revenue and capital spending to support local services, including winter maintenance.”

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Gail Macgregor said:

“During the severe weather Scotland experienced in February and March, local authorities worked tirelessly to ensure their communities were safe – clearing roads and pavements and making sure essential services reached our most vulnerable throughout.

While Councils budget for the impacts of winter weather, the ‘Beast from the East’ was unexpected and led to a significant financial strain. We are pleased that the Scottish Government have recognised the impact on Councils with this additional funding, however the financial toll will continue to be felt for some time.”