A top SNP politician has accused the Labour administration of “a concerted campaign to hoodwink people” ahead of Thursday’s budget meeting.
Last year the Labour administration launched a major consultation on how Fife Council can save £66 million over the next three years.
Fife Council leader Alex Rowley has previously said there can be “no kidding” about the challenges facing his administration.
However, SNP group leader Peter Grant said despite the consultation, the public were still none-the-wiser about Labour’s intended cuts.
Confirming the SNP would be putting forward an alternative budget on Thursday, Mr Grant said: “Labour have done worse than publish nothing.
“They’ve published one piece of spin after another in what is obviously a concerted campaign to hoodwink people into not seeing the damaging cuts Labour are proposing.
“We’ll see how much of their ‘draft budget’ they stick with on Thursday. We’re picking up hints little of it might survive, which kind of makes you wonder why they bothered.
“As for their ‘new approach’ to the budget, this is a complete fiction.
“They have deliberately concealed the true effect of their proposed cuts and their ‘consultation’ was set up in such a way, nobody was allowed to give comments for or against individual cuts.
“And nobody was allowed to know what alternative savings Labour had chosen to keep hidden.
“It’s worth noting in Holyrood last week Labour MSPs voted to give Scottish local government no money at all next year, so I look forward to seeing how Fife’s administration would have coped with that.”
Fife Liberal Democrat leader Tim Brett also expressed disappointment that Labour had not published any detail of their proposed cuts ahead of Thursday.
However, Mr Brett welcomed talking to the public and said his party had been happy to talk to Labour.
He hoped to see a replacement Waid Academy in Anstruther, extra cash for the roll-out of broadband in rural Fife, the retention of four environmental dog wardens and more money for pothole repairs.
Mr Brett added: “Our main criticism is Labour have not made fast enough progress on how they are going to save £66m. We are also worried about the social work overspend of £5m.”
Mr Rowley said Labour had been pleased to sit down for positive talks with the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Independents ahead of the budget but he was “baffled” by the approach of the SNP, who had declined the opportunity for pre-budget talks.
“The SNP continue to make negative statements and bring nothing positive forward,” he said.
“We have had very positive feedback from the public on our consultation approach. If this had been a year ago, the public would be none the wiser about what we are proposing in the budget.
“Our new approach is not perfect but Labour is not arrogant enough to think we have all the answers, which is why we’ve sat down with others. I think the general public are sick to the back teeth with party political bickering.
“These are difficult times and they expect people to work together to find solutions.”
malexander@thecourier.co.uk