7. To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to local authorities from its 2023-24 budget to prevent the closure of local services in light of rising energy and running costs, including to prevent the closure of swimming pools. (S6O-02470)

Despite the most challenging budget settlement since devolution, the local government settlement increased by £793 million to nearly £13.5 billion in 2023-24. The vast majority of that funding is provided as a block grant, and it is for locally elected representatives to make decisions on how best to allocate those resources across their communities.

The fiscal environment for councils is unquestionably challenging, as it is for the whole of the public sector. That is why we are committed to a new deal with local government in order to ensure the sustainability of local services.

This Tory-inflicted cost of living crisis is affecting not only individuals but community hubs, assets and sports centres, including swimming pools. As we all know, swimming pools are vital in teaching people the life skill of swimming, as well as being invaluable community resources.

I recognise that the Scottish Government is operating with one hand tied behind its back, but what other steps are being taken to work with local authorities to ensure that swimming pools remain at the centre of our communities?

It is important that we do not overlook the fact that councils are democratically elected to make decisions on the priorities in their local communities. On the specific issue of swimming pools, the Scottish Government will continue to work with sportscotland, our national agency for sport, on the Scottish swimming facilities project to accurately understand the provision of current facilities and to predict the landscape in the short, medium and long term to ensure the sustainability of those important facilities.

We all know the benefits of physical activity in general, but swimming, in particular, is a life-saving skill.

C onsequentials were added to the Scottish block grant after the United Kingdom Government announced the £63 million swimming pool support fund. How much of those consequentials was passed on to local authorities, and what additional funding has been provided to support swimming pools in Scotland?

I confirm that all the consequentials that have come to the Scottish Government have been allocated. The Scottish Government has worked hard to ensure that local government gets a fair settlement. It is ironic that the member comes to the chamber on the day that another English council—in Birmingham—goes bust—

It is a Labour council.

It is one Labour council and, to be fair to the Labour Party, that council joins several Conservative councils across England.

This morning, on “Good Morning Scotland”, Jonathan Carr-West, the chief executive of the UK-based Local Government Information Unit, was asked whether that could happen in Scotland. He said:

“Scottish councils haven’t seen the same sustained austerity that English councils have seen over the last 13 years. We have seen a squeeze on local government funding in Scotland over the past couple of years, but we are starting from a ... safer place.”

We want to enter into a fair agreement with local government, working in partnership, to ensure that we can deliver better services for the whole of Scotland. We will do that across the board. The Tories need to get on board—if they want us to spend the money, they need to tell us where it is going—

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Thank you. I call Sue Webber.