In response to a Parliamentary Question tabled by North East MSP Mike Rumbles, the Scottish Government’s finance secretary has confirmed that Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire are two of the three worst funded local authorities in Scotland.
Per head of population, Aberdeen gets £350 less from its block grant than the average council in Scotland. With only Edinburgh receiving less.
Aberdeen drops to bottom, however, once the total funding is calculated, nearing £400 less than the average local authority, per person. While Aberdeenshire receives almost £200 less than the average, making it the third worst funded council in Scotland.
Mr Rumbles said: “It is clear from these figures that the Scottish Government sees the North East as nothing more than a cash cow. That means less money for our local schools, less for our roads, and less for our local services. The disparity between councils of a similar size, with similar needs and geography, is appalling.”
| Local Authority | Population | 2018-19 Block Grant
£m |
Block Grant Per Head
£ |
2018-19 Total Funding
£m |
Total Funding Per Head
£ |
| Aberdeen City | 229,840 | 320.6 | 1395 | 352.9 | 1536 |
| Aberdeenshire | 262,190 | 408.1 | 1557 | 453.0 | 1728 |
| Angus | 116,520 | 196.2 | 1684 | 213.4 | 1832 |
| Argyll & Bute | 87,130 | 191.7 | 2200 | 208.0 | 2388 |
| Clackmannanshire | 51,350 | 92.2 | 1795 | 100.8 | 1963 |
| Dumfries & Galloway | 149,520 | 278.7 | 1864 | 307.2 | 2055 |
| Dundee City | 148,270 | 286.6 | 1933 | 317.4 | 2141 |
| East Ayrshire | 122,200 | 220.0 | 1801 | 240.0 | 1964 |
| East Dunbartonshire | 107,540 | 180.5 | 1678 | 193.2 | 1796 |
| East Lothian | 104,090 | 167.9 | 1613 | 183.5 | 1762 |
| East Renfrewshire | 93,810 | 174.8 | 1863 | 184.6 | 1968 |
| City of Edinburgh | 507,170 | 701.3 | 1383 | 798.7 | 1575 |
| Eilean Siar | 26,900 | 93.9 | 3491 | 103.8 | 3860 |
| Falkirk | 159,380 | 271.1 | 1701 | 293.3 | 1840 |
| Fife | 370,330 | 617.7 | 1668 | 671.7 | 1814 |
| Glasgow City | 615,070 | 1205.6 | 1960 | 1384.3 | 2251 |
| Highland | 234,770 | 434.8 | 1852 | 485.9 | 2070 |
| Inverclyde | 79,160 | 160.0 | 2022 | 173.0 | 2185 |
| Midlothian | 88,610 | 153.6 | 1734 | 167.7 | 1893 |
| Moray | 96,070 | 154.9 | 1613 | 169.0 | 1759 |
| North Ayrshire | 135,890 | 265.4 | 1953 | 276.2 | 2033 |
| North Lanarkshire | 339,390 | 596.0 | 1756 | 646.8 | 1906 |
| Orkney Islands | 21,850 | 68.4 | 3132 | 81.0 | 3709 |
| Perth & Kinross | 150,680 | 242.4 | 1609 | 263.9 | 1751 |
| Renfrewshire | 175,930 | 301.4 | 1713 | 326.7 | 1857 |
| Scottish Borders | 114,350 | 201.1 | 1756 | 231.2 | 2019 |
| Shetland Islands | 23,200 | 80.3 | 3462 | 92.7 | 3996 |
| South Ayrshire | 112,470 | 195.9 | 1742 | 212.2 | 1886 |
| South Lanarkshire | 317,100 | 544.2 | 1716 | 587.9 | 1854 |
| Stirling | 93,750 | 162.9 | 1738 | 177.4 | 1893 |
| West Dunbartonshire | 89,860 | 182.5 | 2031 | 203.3 | 2262 |
| West Lothian | 180,130 | 306.1 | 1699 | 330.8 | 1837 |
| Scotland Total | 5,404,700 | 9456.7 | 1750 | 10431.6 | 1930 |
