North Ayrshire's Labour Group say that they were blackmailed into accepting the budget proposals from the Scottish Government

Labour councillors Peter McNamara and Alex Gallagher have led the charge against the SNP Deputy First Minister John Swinney after he instructed them to accept a deal which, if they refuse, would see the removal of £7.220million from Health and Social Care, £2.04million from teacher numbers and £1.769million from Council Tax.

In total Mr Swinney has ‘threatened’ to remove £11.03million from North Ayrshire’s budget if the council did not write to him by February 9, accepting his proposals.

If councillors vote against him, North Ayrshire residents would be hit with a 23 per cent increase in Council Tax.

The Labour Group, backed by Independents and Conservative colleagues, have accused the SNP Government of a ‘direct assault on Local Government’.

Cllr McNamara and Cllr Gallagher are now urging all public sector workers to support Labour opposition to SNP cuts.

Cllr Gallagher and Cllr McNamara say Mr Swinney is ‘blackmailing’ local authorities into accepting his set priorities, or face the imposition of £11m more of cuts.

Under Mr Swinney’s settlement, the council need to agree to meet the social care requirements including the council’s share of the living wage for social care services at £8.25 per hour, and agree to council tax and teacher numbers freeze.

Failure to meet all three elements after signing up will result in the Scottish Government making drastic moves to claw back the money.

Cllr Gallagher said: “This is a direct assault on local government, I see this as the thin edge of the wedge for all local authorities, and I am furious. Our priority is about protecting the services of local people.”

“We are being threatened by national government into taking a decision and not being allowed as a local elected representative of a community to have any say on the matter.

“I am being judged by nothing - I am being told what to do.”

“If we were to vote as a council not to accept these conditions, we will be immediately hit with another £11m cuts.

“We have to keep a freeze on council tax, and accept their health and social care, and teacher numbers, and if we meet two of their options but don’t meet the other one, then the money still goes. It is blackmail.”

Labour leader Peter McNamara said: “As a representative elected, I have never in my 25 years as councillor, ever been in a situation of being threatened in this way. It started seven years ago with the freeze in the council tax - accept this or be punished.

“Now we are being told to accept their health and social care figures, and teacher numbers. Who is running the council now? John Swinney and Holyrood - that’s who.

“If we decide not to accept this entitlement and decide to go for council tax rise, then our our council tax would go up by 23 per cent.

“We will support a balanced budget but under duress and under threat as we don’t want to punish our communities any further than what they are already having to accept, but we are putting forward an amendment detailing our abhorrence at being threatened in this way

“So we accept the deal but will make an amendment - we are being strung up like lambs to the slaughter.

“I don’t like being told what to do. I have argued for social democracy for years, and this is not good enough from the SNP.

“This is a direct assault on local government and I am really fearful for the future of local democracy.”

The revenue budget for 2016-17 is expected to be £315m.

NORTH Ayrshire Council Leader Willie Gibson said: “Our overriding priority when we come to set our budget next week will be to protect key frontline services.

“This is a challenge for us at a time when we have to balance reducing resources with increased demand for services.

“By accepting this financial settlement from the Scottish Government, we will be protecting the people of North Ayrshire from a potentially crippling rise in Council Tax.

“The Settlement makes available resources to the Health and Social Care Partnership to meet rising demand, reduce charging for non-residential care services and support payment of a living wage of £8.25 per hour to all social care workers by October 2016.

“Working within our budget we remain committed to growing North Ayrshire’s economy to create more jobs, strengthen communities and tackle inequalities.”