Latest news with #KatieHagmann
Daily Record
7 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Opposition parties claim Dumfries and Galloway Council has descended into 'chaos'
The SNP group has submitted a vote of no confidence in the Conservative administration after seven councillors quit the group. Opposition parties claim Dumfries and Galloway Council has descended into 'chaos'. The SNP group has submitted a vote of no confidence in the Conservative administration after seven councillors quit the group. And as the SNP budget has been voted through for the past two years – despite them not being in power – the party is pushing for a fresh vote on council leadership. An emergency full council meeting is expected to be held within the next fortnight Depute group leader, Katie Hagmann, said: 'We have submitted a motion of no confidence in the current administration. 'The SNP group are the biggest group. The council is operating on an SNP budget. 'We've got business to do, we've got to delivery for the people of Dumfries and Galloway – and we're determined to do that.' The minority Conservative administration has been in control of the council since leader Stephen Thompson quit as leader following his SNP group's budget being defeated. The past two years have seen an SNP budget voted through but the Tories remain in administration. Group leader, Gail Macgregor, told ITV Border: It will be for full council to decide the future of the administration and myself. Clearly, it's been really disappointing that we've had members leave the group and there's been various reasons for that. 'I'm not going to kneejerk at the moment. We have had some immense successes over the past two years under my leadership. "Going forward in the next two weeks I don't know what will happen. I would like to assure people that my heart is always in delivering for the region and creating that stability. This is a chink in the road that I didn't expect. "We're here to represent the region. There's 43 members on that council and it's absolutely incumbent on us to work together for the betterment of the region and the services we provide." The situation has been slammed by the Labour group, which has eight members. Depute group leader, Carolyne Wilson, said: 'When the Conservatives took control of the council, they promised stability, but instead they've delivered chaos. Years of in-fighting in their group left the council paralysed and incapable of delivering for local people. 'While the attainment gap in our schools grows, social care is on its knees, the bus network is in crisis and the local economy is being held back by council decisions, the Tory leadership has been missing in action – too busy putting their party before the needs of our region. 'Councillors are elected to serve our communities. But those communities across Dumfries and Galloway will look on this mess with dismay – but sadly, not with surprise. 'The Conservatives have a track record of falling apart, but even they have surpassed themselves by splitting into not two, but three separate groups.' Four councillors in the west of Dumfries and Galloway – Andrew Giusti, Chrissie Hill, David Inglis and Richard Marsh – have quit the Tory administration to form a new group called Novantae. Three more – Ian Carruthers, Karen Carruthers and Andrew Wood – have also resigned and are now in the Dumfries and Galloway Independent Group. Both Ian and Karen Carruthers were among seven councillors who quit the Conservative group in 2013, with Ian Carruthers becoming the then Tory group leader following the elections in 2017. A council spokesman said: 'Dumfries and Galloway Council can confirm that seven councillors have resigned from the Conservative group. The council's website has been updated. 'Four of the councillors have formed a new political group called Novantae – councillors Richard Marsh, Chrissie Hill, Andrew Giusti and David Inglis. 'Three of the councillors have informed council officers that they have set up a separate group and they intend to call it The Dumfries and Galloway Independent Group. These are councillors Ian Carruthers, Karen Carruthers and Andrew Wood. 'The council will not be commenting further at this time.
ITV News
03-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
SNP group on D&G Council say they have officially called for a vote of no confidence
The SNP group on Dumfries and Galloway Council say they have officially called for a vote of no confidence in the leadership. It comes after seven Conservative councillors left the party, making the SNP the biggest group. Councillor Gail MacGregor has been the leader of the Conservative administration since 2023, when an SNP-led rainbow coalition collapsed. SNP group business manager Councillor Katie Hagmann told ITV Border her party had submitted a no confidence motion that has received cross party support. The vote is expected to take place at a special full council meeting in the coming days. In February, councillors voted through the opposition SNP budget. Councillor Katie Hagmann said the administration was in 'disarray.' She added: 'We have submitted a motion of no confidence in the current administration. There is likely to be an announcement of a full council meeting and we are calling for the removal of the convener and the deputy convener, which is also the leader of Dumfries and Galloway council. "It is not acceptable the way that the administration is acting and the SNP group are the biggest group within the whole of the council and this is an snp budget that's been passed. "We've got business to do, we've got to deliver for the people of Dumfries and Galloway and we're determined to do that." The Conservative rebels have formed two separate groups. Councillors Andrew Giusti, Chrissie Hill, David Inglis and Richard Marsh have formed a new group called Novantae. The three other councillors Ian Carruthers, Karen Carruthers and Andrew Wood, have formed a separate independent group. A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives said: 'We wish them well.' The rebellion means that the Conservative group shrinks from 16 to nine and raises questions over the viability of the current administration. The political make-up of the council is now: 11 SNP members; nine Scottish Conservatives; eight Scottish Labour; one Scottish Liberal Democrat; 14 independent / other. A spokesperson for Dumfries and Galloway Council said: 'Dumfries and Galloway Council can confirm that seven councillors have resigned from the Conservative group. The council's website has been updated. 'Four of the councillors have formed a new political group called Novantae – councillors Richard Marsh, Chrissie Hill, Andrew Giusti and David Inglis. 'Three of the councillors have informed council officers that they have set up a separate group and they intend to call it The Dumfries and Galloway Independent Group. These are councillors Ian Carruthers, Karen Carruthers and Andrew Wood. 'The council will not be commenting further at this time.'
The Independent
05-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Councils still face £100m bill to cover national insurance hike, says Cosla
Councils have been left with a near-£100 million bill to cover the increase in national insurance, the local authority body has said. Finance Secretary Shona Robison announced on Tuesday the Scottish Government would cover 60% of the increase caused by the hike in employer contributions announced by the UK Government. But the resources spokeswoman at Cosla has said that leaves authorities with a £97 million funding gap to fill, as numerous ministers have spoken against high increases in council tax. 'We note that the Scottish Government has announced it will fund 60% of the additional direct staffing costs that will result from the UK Government's policy decision rise to employers national insurance,' said Katie Hagmann. 'However, this leaves the remaining 40% with no additional funding – leaving a gap of £96 million councils will still need to fill within their budgets. 'While we acknowledge that the UK Government is still to announce additional resources, it is important to note that there has been no additional funding for commissioned services, the biggest of these being adult social care, which are also vital services and will see significant impacts. 'Given the mounting challenges for local government, this additional funding will not solve the crises councils and communities are facing, which are exacerbated by the employers national insurance increase. 'Difficult decisions will still need to be made as councils look to protect essential frontline services.' According to Cosla, the cost to local government is equivalent to a 3.3% increase in council tax. The Scottish Government has called for funding from Westminster to fully cover the impact of the increase on Scotland's public sector, which employs more people per head of population than elsewhere in the UK. But the UK Government has repeatedly said the funding will be a population share, which could leave the Scottish public sector with a bill rising into the hundreds of millions. The Finance Secretary said: 'We recognise the challenging situation the UK Government's rise in national insurance presents for local authorities, which is why we are providing £144 million to support the cost of these changes inflicted on the public sector by the UK Government. 'This is the equivalent of a 5% national increase in council tax, and is additional to the record funding already provided, which includes a billion pound increase from last year. 'The Scottish Government will continue to press the UK Government to fund the costs of its policy to the public sector in full and hope that Cosla will continue to support those efforts. 'We need an urgent decision on this to give public sector employers, including the NHS, police and local authorities, clarity to inform their spending decisions.' A UK Government spokesman said: 'The Budget delivered more money than ever before for Scottish public services and the Scottish Government receives over 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending. 'It is for the Scottish Government to allocate this across its own public sector and meet the priorities of people in Scotland. 'It will also receive additional Barnett funding on top of this record £47.7 billion settlement as part of support provided in relation to changes to employer national insurance.'
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Councils still face £100m bill to cover national insurance hike, says Cosla
Councils have been left with a near-£100 million bill to cover the increase in national insurance, the local authority body has said. Finance Secretary Shona Robison announced on Tuesday the Scottish Government would cover 60% of the increase caused by the hike in employer contributions announced by the UK Government. But the resources spokeswoman at Cosla has said that leaves authorities with a £97 million funding gap to fill, as numerous ministers have spoken against high increases in council tax. 'We note that the Scottish Government has announced it will fund 60% of the additional direct staffing costs that will result from the UK Government's policy decision rise to employers national insurance,' said Katie Hagmann. 'However, this leaves the remaining 40% with no additional funding – leaving a gap of £96 million councils will still need to fill within their budgets. Following the Scottish Government's announcement on additional funding for National Insurance, COSLA commented today on the extremely difficult financial position still facing councils. Comment from our Resources Spokesperson, Cllr Katie Hagmann: — COSLA (@COSLA) February 5, 2025 'While we acknowledge that the UK Government is still to announce additional resources, it is important to note that there has been no additional funding for commissioned services, the biggest of these being adult social care, which are also vital services and will see significant impacts. 'Given the mounting challenges for local government, this additional funding will not solve the crises councils and communities are facing, which are exacerbated by the employers national insurance increase. 'Difficult decisions will still need to be made as councils look to protect essential frontline services.' According to Cosla, the cost to local government is equivalent to a 3.3% increase in council tax. The Scottish Government has called for funding from Westminster to fully cover the impact of the increase on Scotland's public sector, which employs more people per head of population than elsewhere in the UK. But the UK Government has repeatedly said the funding will be a population share, which could leave the Scottish public sector with a bill rising into the hundreds of millions. The Finance Secretary said: 'We recognise the challenging situation the UK Government's rise in national insurance presents for local authorities, which is why we are providing £144 million to support the cost of these changes inflicted on the public sector by the UK Government. 'This is the equivalent of a 5% national increase in council tax, and is additional to the record funding already provided, which includes a billion pound increase from last year. 'The Scottish Government will continue to press the UK Government to fund the costs of its policy to the public sector in full and hope that Cosla will continue to support those efforts. 'We need an urgent decision on this to give public sector employers, including the NHS, police and local authorities, clarity to inform their spending decisions.'
