LABOUR PFI SCHOOL SHAME AS NORTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL COUNTS COST

£425 MILLION TO BE PAID OUT THIS YEAR ACROSS SCOTLAND – ROBBING MONEY FROM VITAL SERVICES

 Labour’s disastrous PFI schools scheme continues to cost North Lanarkshire council millions of pounds every year, analysis by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre has revealed – proving they are a party which cannot be trusted to manage vital public services.

The duff deals made by Labour during their time in power at Holyrood will cost local authorities across £426.8 million in this financial year – with North Lanarkshire facing a £22.5 million bill, demonstrating Labour’s short-term thinking and profligate use of public money.  

SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston Fulton MacGregor has slammed Labour’s toxic legacy, which continues to rob our local authority of vital funding for education and other public services. The total nationwide cost of the toxic PFI legacy across all projects topped £1 billion in 2015/16, with this figure continuing to rise.

Commenting, SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston Fulton MacGregor, said:

“The toxic legacy that Labour’s PFI deals have left our schools and North Lanarkshire Council continues to cost millions of pounds every year – and proves once again that only the SNP can be trusted to deliver on education and local funding.  

“While Labour carp from the sidelines about the SNP’s record, it is increasingly clear that we are still paying for the mess that Labour left over a decade ago – with payments in 2017/18 to be as high as £426.8 million across all our council areas, and North Lanarkshire Council facing a bill of £22.5 million. 

“Labour’s spendthrift and reckless handling of our public finances continues to rob North Lanarkshire Council of funds which could be put towards delivering better local services. And let’s not forget the potential consequences of Labour’s dodgy deals on jerry-built schools across Edinburgh – forced to close for nearly 500 days because of fundamental safety concerns.   

“It’s high time that Labour apologised for this toxic legacy that they’ve left for our schools, North Lanarkshire Council and local authorities across the country.”