To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to assist local authorities with repairing potholes, in light of reports of the detrimental impact that large numbers of potholes are having on drivers across Scotland. (S6O-03673)

I very much appreciate the road maintenance challenges and the importance of a safe, well-performing road network. I certainly do not minimise the importance of the point that the member has raised.

However, local road maintenance is the responsibility of local authorities, which allocate resources based on their local priorities. The 2024-25 local government settlement increased local authorities’ share of the budget and delivered record funding of more than £14 billion, which represents a real-terms increase of 2.5 per cent. The independent Accounts Commission confirmed that that followed real-terms increases in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

It is for locally elected representatives to decide how best to deliver services to their communities. The Scottish Government has increased the maintenance budget for the trunk road network, for which it is responsible.

The number of potholes recorded by local authorities is on the rise, with 2,463 having been recorded in East Dunbartonshire alone. Years of brutal funding cuts mean that our local authorities lack the resources to afford essential road repairs, and we know that the Scottish Government is set to make damaging cuts to the budget. How does the Scottish Government intend to address the many worries of drivers, who pay high prices for the damage that is caused by potholes and fear that the issue might never be fixed?

For the sake of brevity, I will repeat the point that I just made. Such decisions are for local authorities. The Government has increased the amount of money that is provided to local authorities, and local authorities will prioritise their spend.