EAST Ayrshire Council is set to benefit from an almost £5m boost to resource funding.

According to figures from the Scottish Government, the 2018-19 budget will see EAC receive a 2.17 per cent – or £4.945m – raise to the resource budget, providing extra funding for schools, roads and housing.

Commenting, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley MSP Jeane Freeman said: “This extra funding for East Ayrshire council – an additional £4.9m for the coming year – is a great settlement for our communities.

“The SNP’s progressive reforms on income tax, seeing 70 per cent of people pay less than they did last year, and 55 per cent pay less than they would if they lived south of the border, are vital for allowing this funding increase despite continued austerity being imposed by the Tories at Westminster.

“And it takes the total resource budget for our East Ayrshire services – such as schools, roads and housing – to £277 million for the coming year, an increase of 2.17 per cent when compared with last year.

“This progressive budget also provides extra funding for our NHS, education and broadband, and more money for our economy, research and our environment too – as well as protecting free university tuition, free personal care for the elderly, free school meals and free prescriptions.

“While the Tories propose cutting over £556 million from public services in order to pay for their tax cuts for the wealthiest – the SNP Government delivers for our councils and protects the vital local services in East Ayrshire that we all hold dear.”