West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) isn’t getting the money it deserves from the Scottish Government, its leader claims.

Councillor Martin Rooney wrote to depute First Minister John Swinney and finance secretary Kate Forbes stating the local authority needed more money to meet the pay deal being offered to their staff.

Negotiations for pay of local public sector workers is dealt with between the government and the body for councils, COSLA.

When there is a national deal, councils either get a bump in funding from central government or they have to make up the gap.

WDC already faces crippling finances after more than a decade of austerity from both the UK Government and Scottish Government. And Cllr Rooney said West Dunbartonshire has a greater need because of levels of deprivation.

He wrote: “Without the Scottish Government financial support, local residents will be faced with the prospect of the loss of public services as trades union members take industrial action affecting such things as waste collection, early years, primary schools and secondary schools.

“This is wholly unacceptable and could have a devastating impact on the learning and achievement of young people in Scotland.

“West Dunbartonshire Council needs additional financial assistance from the Scottish Government to help fund the local government pay rise.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Despite continued economic uncertainty, the Scottish Government is providing a real terms increase of 6.3 per cent to local authority budgets this year – despite cuts to Scotland’s overall budget by the UK Government.

“In the current financial year, the West Dunbartonshire Council will receive £224.1 million to fund vital day-to-day services, an 8.4 per cent increase compared to 2021-22.”