Not a good day for Edinburgh

Budget over - all the expected 'poltical theatre' with the resultant Coalition budget-motion being passed. I'm afraid, I believe, every word of what I wrote here has come to pass.

And personally, I think it's all very bad for the long-term future of the city - only time will tell whether that assessment is correct.

In the short-term though, it is a pretty poor settlement for local schools and young people in Edinburgh:

• every Primary and Secondary school in Edinburgh is being forced to take a 1.5%-2.0% budget cut
• this basically amounts to at least a £10,000 reduction per average Primary School
• at least a £10,000 reduction per average Special School
• and at least a £50,000 reduction per average Secondary School
• and to make things worse all school meals are being increased by 10p from August
• in addition, the Council's 'Youth Services' are being slashed by £357,000
• and 'Community Learning and Development' is being cut by by the full-year equivalent of £850,000

These so-called 'budget re-alignments', will result in the loss of much-needed local services for young people in both schools and the wider community.

For me, there is just no doubt these service cuts will have a serious and negative impact on young people and families throughout Edinburgh.

Not a good day.