THE package announced in the Scottish Budget on Thursday will benefit local communities, it was claimed by MSP for Cowdenbeath Annabelle Ewing.

Ms Ewing MSP, has welcomed the fact that communities in Fife and across Scotland are set to benefit from greater support as a result of the Scottish Government’s Budget.

Outlining some of the spending commitments that will benefit her constituency, Ms Ewing said: “Labour, Tory and Lib Dem opponents failed to support important investment for the Cowdenbeath constituency in the budget – with the three opposition parties voting against the SNP’s proposals to fund local services.

“This Scottish Government budget provides a strong funding deal giving spending commitments in the NHS, education, infrastructure, environment and the economy. For the opposition parties, with the exception of the Greens, to vote against all of this was deeply disappointing and against the best interests of our communities.

“It was disappointing to see Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories more interested in political point scoring rather than standing up for their local communities – but there’s still time for them to drop their opposition and back the Scottish Government’s proposals as the Budget Bill progresses."

She added this week: “My constituency of Cowdenbeath itself will benefit from a range of direct spending commitments, including £616.2m for NHS Fife.

“The Budget proposed also includes an additional £160millon for local authorities over and above what was originally announced. This extra funding means that Fife Council will receive £10.786million more than the original proposed settlement.

“Labour, the Tories and the Lib Dems should think again before choosing to rob Fife of these vital services in a narrow-minded campaign designed to achieve nothing more than embarrassing the SNP Scottish Government. This budget is too important to our communities for that to be allowed to happen.”

The Budget package was passed with the support of the Greens.