Dumfries and Galloway Council has topped the list of Scottish Local Authorities for paying its invoices on time. Barely a third of invoices owed by Scottish local authorities are paid on time, figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives have shown. However, Dumfries and Galloway bucked the trend being the only authority in Scotland who managed to pay more than 90 per cent of its bills on time.
Councils are supposed to settle all invoices, many of which are owed to small, local businesses, within 10 days under the Scottish Government target for the payment of invoices by the public sector. Local government is a substantial customer for Scottish businesses, both large and small, and the longer payments take, the more difficult it is for these businesses to manage their cash flow and pay their own suppliers.
These figures demonstrate that the Conservative councillors in Dumfries and Galloway are committed to a responsible fiscal policy and recognise the importance of strong working relationships with local suppliers, many of whom are small local firms. Local politicians were quick to praise these figures and welcomed the news that Dumfries and Galloway has topped the national list.
Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell said: “These figures demonstrate that Dumfries and Galloway Council have rightly made supporting local business a priority. Putting tax payers’ money back into the local economy as quickly as possible is one of the most important things the Council can do to help the economic recovery.
“Anyone who runs a small business knows and appreciates the importance of paying your bills on time. They have set an excellent example on this occasion which I hope will challenge the appalling record of some of the other local authorities around Scotland.”
Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Alex Fergusson said: “We all know that small and medium sized enterprises are the very life blood of our local economy, and that one of the biggest problems with these businesses is maintaining a steady cash flow. It is therefore greatly to the credit of Dumfries and Galloway Council that they are at the top of the tree when it comes to timely payments to local businesses, and I am happy to give credit where it is due. The record of many other councils is absolutely atrocious, so Dumfries and Galloway should give itself a well deserved pat on the back on this occasion.”