Dumfries and Galloway Council Massive PPP Debt

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scottish-currency3SNP MSP Mike Russell has slammed the legacy of a massive PPP debt left behind by Labour, as recently released figures show that Dumfries and Galloway Council will be forced to pay over £52.6 million in PPP payments in the next three years.

PPP (Public Private Partnerships) are to charge local authorities across Scotland almost £400million this financial year and £450m next year as Scotland’s budget is set to be cut by £500million annually by Westminster.

PPP is the preferred capital investment procurement scheme of Labour and was used during its time in the Scottish Executive between 1999 and 2007, a scheme which is costing taxpayers in Dumfries and Galloway millions of pounds in inflated costs.

Commenting, the South of Scotland SNP MSP Mike Russell said:

“I am simply astonished at the level of these figures, which shows that Dumfries and Galloway has the sixth highest PPP debt in the whole of Scotland. Labour’s PPP is a total waste of public money it is as simple as that. By what stretch of the imagination can £52.6 million over the next three years be said to be value for tax payer’s money in Dumfries and Galloway?

“Labour has left a legacy of debt, this rising Scottish PPP inheritance bombshell of over £400million a year and now wants to cut the Scottish Government budget by a further £500million over the coming years to help pay for Westminster PPP bills and to bail out the banks who are normally at the centre of these Public Private Partnerships.

“Scotland can not afford to have its finances dictated to like this any longer.”

The PPP charges figures have been sourced from two Parliamentary answers from Finance Secretary John Swinney to John Wilson MSP. The answers to S3W-24128 and S3W-24127 can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/business/pqa/default.aspx?pq=S3W-24128

 

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/business/pqa/default.aspx?pq=S3W-24127