COUNCILLORS went head to head last week after a budget update predicted a dire financial future for the administration.

A report presented to Clackmannanshire Council suggested an indicative funding gap of £13.1million for the year 2018-19 could be as much as £28.7m by the end of March 2021. 

When faced with the figures, Councillor Dave Clark accused his peers of dishonesty. 

The Labour man said: “We talk about Making Clackmannanshire Better. We talk about local outcome improvement plans. That I wish was the case as well. I don’t think we are making Clackmannanshire better.

“The auditor tells us we are in the worst position in Scotland. You may say that we are making Clackmannanshire better. Class sizes are soaring, use of food banks up 20 per cent.

“I think that we are looking at a decay in administration. You keep saying that you are making Clackmannanshire better. No you’re no’.”

After referencing an Orwellian society, a theme born from the novel 1984, he continued: “You say that you are making Clackmannanshire better, you are attacking poverty. It’s a lie.”

SNP Councillor Craig Holden responded to Cllr Clark’s assertions, denouncing his behaviour at the meeting as an example of “showboating” and “scaremongering”.

He said: “He refers to 1984, I think Councillor Clark is stuck in 1984. What we need to be doing is looking at the budget target and commenting on it, and putting forward suggestions. 

“Nobody’s lying here. What we are doing here is what we said we were doing. We are dealing with the challenges in the budget. 

“He’s (Cllr Clark) much more interested in grandstanding, ripping up pieces of paper and making himself look good. There’s no substance to it... It’s not constructive. It’s not here we indulge in amateur dramatics. It’s here we inform members.”

Meanwhile, Councillor Bill Mason expressed his gratitude to Nikki Bridle, depute chief executive, for her work in putting together the budget strategy update, which details the council’s progress on the implementation of its savings for the year 2017-18. 

He said: “Everyone in this room is aware of the situation that Clackmannanshire Council is in. We are where we are, here to discuss and comment on the paper presented to us by the depute chief executive. 

“We would really like to say that we are grateful for the amount of guidance that we get from our deputy.”

Councillor Les Sharp, leader of the council, capped the debate by assuring his fellow elected members that the local authority will strive to protect the livelihoods of people in the county.

He said: “I don’t normally grandstand. What I do is work and I find ways of making this council sustainable. Please don’t accuse us of what we are not doing. We are trying to preserve the jobs of the people in Clackmannanshire.

“We are working our backside off to make sure this council is as effective and sustainable as possible.”