A leading Labour councillor has launched a wide-ranging attack on the SNP’s free universal services and its “obsession” with national targets.
Councillor David O’Neill, president of troubled council umbrella body Cosla, said advocates of universal services like free bus passes, free prescriptions and free university tuition are “behind the times”.
In a speech to Cosla’s conference today, he will say targets such as hospital waiting times and police numbers may be encouraging people to put greater strain on public services.
Mr O’Neill also criticised the four councils that have given notice to quit Cosla, accusing them of weakening local government.
A preview of Mr O’Neill’s speech stated: “People often say to me, ‘I have a bus pass but I don’t need it’. I often hear, ‘I get free prescriptions but I don’t need them’.
“We have all heard the comments from people who can afford to pay something towards their son or daughter’s continued university education.
“A common theme in these remarks is that they recognise a world where there are not enough resources to do everything and that money released in this way could be put to better use.
“Universality may seem popular but it seems to me that those who propose it are behind the times.”
He said the current model of public-service delivery is “unfit for purpose and unaffordable”.
Public bodies should instead empower “individuals, families and communities (that) have a massive capacity to look after themselves and each other”.
He attacked the “national obsession with monitoring all services through a range of national targets”.
“If you have to have a specific number of police officers and if you have to have a specific number of teachers … you get all the disadvantages of universalism and soak up resources,” he said.
The four-hour A&E waiting-time target encourages people with “chaotic lifestyles” to use emergency departments to deal with their health problems because “the lights are on” and they know they will be seen promptly, he said.
“If the time has nearly elapsed, a person may be admitted so as not to offend the four-hour wait,” he said.
“In short, it can serve to suck people into the hospital system that do not need to be there.”
He added: “For inequalities to be addressed, local government in Scotland needs to be freed up, more empowered and better-resourced to be able to do the job that needs to be done.
“There is a real chance that the question of devolution within Scotland will simply be forgotten as the issue of devolution to Scotland takes precedence.
“Talks on devolution within Scotland seem to have stalled and, if anything, a more centralised approach within Scotland seems to be developing.”
Mr O’Neill acknowledged that the loss of four councils has left Cosla in “an unhappy and unsatisfactory place”.
“The fact that four councils are still choosing to leave weakens the whole of local government including those four councils,” he said.
“I will work tirelessly over the next period to create the circumstances to allow every council back into Cosla membership.
“Our collective voice is precious. I am convinced that there are enough councils and councillors who support that collective voice and from this position, we will become stronger, not weaker.
“I want the coming year to be one of rebuilding our position of full membership so that voice is at its strongest.”
Scottish Conservative local government spokesman Cameron Buchanan said: “There are many fair points about universality within this speech.
“With free bus passes and prescriptions, the SNP has embarked on bribery without the corruption.
“It has made life difficult for local authorities, many of whom are having to cut vital services while people who can well-afford bus travel and prescriptions are reaping the benefits.”