I am very disappointed that the city council did not accept my proposal on behalf of the Liberal Democrats to invest more in education, repairing crumbling roads and pavement and enhancing Aberdeen’s environment when its set its budget for the forthcoming year earlier this week.

Key points in my proposal – which was part of a carefully costed and balanced budget – were:

• Creating a £2.5 million Education Fund to make a real difference for every school and ever school pupil in Aberdeen
• Investing an additional £3.277 million in repairing roads and pavements across Aberdeen
• Investing an extra £350,000 in improving Aberdeen’s environment
• Investing an additional £500,000 in supported bus services to reconnect bus links to isolated communities in Aberdeen
• Carrying out a feasibility study into transferring the currently closed Hazlehead Swimming Pool to community management

The proposed Liberal Democrat budget also included:

• Rejecting proposals to cut £500,000 from spending on libraries
• Increasing the council’s ability to repair roads and clear snow from roads and pavements
• Freezing both on and off-street parking charges
• A commitment to build a new bridge over the River Dee

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