THE leader of Clackmannanshire Council has dismissed any notion of going “cap-in-hand” to Stirling in an attempt to re-establish a shared services partnership.
Les Sharp told fellow elected members that the recommendation of the Stirling’s Labour-Conservative administration to withdraw from a pooled education and social work provision would present an opportunity for the Wee County to “do our own thing”.
Kilncraigs were informed of the move on Tuesday, with their counterparts in Stirling saying the arrangement was giving them an “unacceptable cost” of £400,000 each year in subsidies.
In June 2014, both councils agreed in principle to “achieve deeper integration” of education and social services across Clackmannanshire and Stirling.
This move would have seen social work services for both local authorities being run by Clacks, with education being administered in Stirling. However, the plans are now likely to be abandoned after the administration at Stirling Council recommending they use an integrated children’s service.
Speaking during Thursday’s Resource and Audit Committee meeting, Mr Sharp and fellow SNP councillors repeatedly rebuffed Labour calls to continue talks with Stirling in order to save the arrangement.
He said: “I ain’t going crawling to nobody. We can’t go cap-in-hand to Stirling when there is a serious lack of trust.
“It was a rash decision. I think they will come to regret it and if they don’t then hell mend them.
“But there is an opportunity for us here. We can now get on with our thing and we will.”
Responding to Labour councillor Bobby McGill, Mr Sharp added: “His colleagues pulled the plug. We are walking away from nothing.”
Stirling’s plans to withdraw, and the manner in which they took the decision, was met with disdain across the debating chamber during Thursday’s meeting.
Independent councillor Archie Drummond said it was a “shame that the Better Together coalition in Stirling chose to behave in the way that they did,” and echoed Mr Sharp’s view that this decision had presented Clackmannanshire Council with an opportunity to provide its own service.
Labour’s Janet Cadenhead added that ongoing partnerships between the two councils would now be strained due to concerns of trust.
She said: “I am absolutely, completely ashamed of Stirling Council and the action they have taken over shared services.
“We may have more to lose but they will pay a price with their reputation.
“Who is going to trust a council that informs a partner organisation through a press release that they are not going ahead with a shared plan without discussion?"
“There is no excuse for that and we are not here to defend the indefensible.”
Her colleague Jim Stalker described the news as “shocking” and added: “I have no respect whatsoever for what they have done.”
Mr McGill argued the decision “will be a disaster for Clackmannanshire” and said he hoped further representations to Stirling could negotiate a u-turn.
The Stirling Council administration has recommended the formation of dedicated children’s services organisation, should the council formally withdraw from the shared service partnership.
A spokesperson said: “A risk assessment of the financial consequences by the administration members also concluded that the precarious funding pressures in the next five years for SNP-controlled Clackmannanshire Council in particular meant an undue risk and potential burden falling upon Stirling’s council tax payers.
“The financial pressures from cuts to local government funding by the SNP government also compounds the problem making it essential that the elected representatives at Stirling Council ensure that our residents are the first priority in protecting their services from further budget cuts.
“The local management and control of our proposal for an integrated Children’s Service for young people will be at the heart of this exciting initiative to provide the best educational attainment assisted by a range of supporting services to prepare them for the challenges in their adult life.
“Further consultation will now take place with all stakeholders in the coming weeks in order to plan a smooth transition in shaping the organisation of Stirling Council’s Children’s Services and then making a formal decision with the agreement of a full Stirling Council meeting.”