Bo'ness: Councillor says town missing out on fair share of council budget

Mrs Munro said the lack of money meant that all spending and assets had to be looked at carefully, with suggestions that included renting out the two homes attached to Bo'ness Town Hall and using Kinneil Estate for camping and caravanning accommodation.

"Why aren’t we doing these things?" she asked at Falkirk Council's budget meeting.

"Instead we have new gates ordered for a walled garden which the community were not consulted on and we no longer use.

Although Mrs Munro, along with the rest of the Conservative group, backed the SNP administration's budget she said they needed a change of mindset and to start listening to communities more.

She also criticised this year's capital budget for concentrating on Falkirk and Grangemouth with not enough for smaller towns and villages.

She said: "The Braes lack basic facilities like gas and as a result suffer unaffordable heating bills.

The Labour group also strongly criticised the Scottish Government's budget, saying it left Falkirk yet again with no option but to make cuts.

Labour Group leader Robert Bissett said: "The impact of SNP cuts cannot continue - this SNP austerity-max for councils must end.

"Cuts to councils equals cuts to communities."

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Several SNP members argued that total funding has not been cut and the ring-fenced funding has meant many good projects - including doubling early years education for children - are being delivered.

Councillor David Alexander added that the 'anti-Falkirk' line was unjustified.

"When you look at the proposals there is a disproportionately high level per capita for Bo'ness," he said, including investment in the town's Hippodrome cinema and the steam railway.

"When you look at Bo'ness you can see significant progress with the refurbishment of the library which will ensure that Bo'ness Library the best in the district," he said.

"There are also proposals for Kinneil Estate and the Foreshore at Bo'ness.

"We should be working together, not putting one community against another," he said.

"The proposals spread investment across the district and they are excellent."

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