North-east politicians have been urged to focus on a rise in “vulnerable” residents as the region recovers from coronavirus.
Aberdeenshire Council met yesterday to discuss new priorities and the plans in place to help the region push forward after the pandemic.
“Unpredictable months” lie ahead, officials have said, with the risk of further waves, local, regional or national lockdowns and increased pressure on public services come winter.
Councillor Paul Gibb, who represents Aboyne, stressed the region cannot “build back better” unless plans are in place to revitalise the economy and welcome tourists.
He said: “An effective recovery strategy will not be possible unless we have a strong economy.
“The cost of support will be further pressured, especially as schools re-open.
“The reality is that this will be a struggle. And we can’t build back better without adequate financial support.”
Leader of the council, Jim Gifford, said he is hopeful the region could hold onto its remnants of business support funding from the Scottish Government.
Together with COSLA, the council is pleading to be allowed to keep the funds and put them into other vital services – and expects a response on Friday.
Mr Gibb also raised concerns the Scottish Government was not adequately supporting home-owners, compared to the UK Government.
Councillor Gweyneth Petrie, leader of the council’s SNP group, responded: “There are people in our communities who are struggling to eat and pay bills.
“The focus needs to be on getting them the support they deserve.”
She added that the number of vulnerable people in the region will “undoubtedly have grown”.
North Kincardine councillor Alison Evison also urged the council to focus efforts on improving mental health provision and care for those struggling due to social isolation.
“Communities need to be at the heart of moving forward,” she said.
Meanwhile, the council also decided upon a new set of priorities for the region.
In 2017, the local authority agreed to focus on 11 key priorities for the following five years, which included efforts to reduce poverty, tackle poor mental health and protect the environment.
Now, three “new priorities” will replace them: people, environment and economy.
The new priorities were widely praised – with a large number of future job openings in the region expected to be in education and health – and council leader Jim Gifford stressed the need for a “progressive yet adaptable” plan moving forward.
Councillor Paul Johnstone did, however, remark there was a “smell of panic” about how they had quickly been decided.
Four meetings of the full Aberdeenshire Council have been scheduled to take place over the next few months to set the framework for how the council will adapt its approach to meet the future financial challenges.
At yesterday’s meeting, councillor Jim Gifford praised Aberdeenshire residents for “sticking to the rules” to prevent local outbreaks and help the council to navigate a path to recovery.