Councillor Willie Innes, Labour Leader of East Lothian Council, secured an additional £820,000 for the county at the most recent CoSLA Leaders meeting.

Cllr Innes led moves to reconsider an earlier decision on the formula councils use to determine the distribution of Scottish Government funding to Scotland’s 32 local authorities for the next financial year.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Willie Innes said:
 
“Decision-making at CoSLA is highly complex and political. I always enter into discussions there with East Lothian’s interests foremost in my considerations. I’m delighted that the majority of Councils shared my view that we needed to rethink the way Scottish Government funds should be allocated to authorities.
 
“This decision has secured us an additional £820,000 for the financial year 2015-16. The extra funding will be vital as we continue to repair the damage done to the county’s finances by the previous SNP-led administration. It will also help us to manage the impact of the squeeze caused by the SNP’s under-funded council tax freeze.
 
“Unlike Cllr Stuart Currie and his SNP colleagues, who, as we saw with our courts, dance to the tune of their leaders in Edinburgh, I will always stand up for East Lothian and fight our corner to the utmost of my ability.”