The SNP’s cuts to Council budgets have led to a “horrifying” number of complaints about rats across Argyll & Bute, Scottish Labour has said today.
In 2024/25 Scottish Councils received nearly 20,000 complaints about rats – a 35% increase on 2021-22.
Across Argyll & Bute alone, there were 84 complaints about rats in 2024-25 – up by a huge 54% since 2021-22.
Spending on street cleaning in Scotland plummeted by 34% between 2010-11 and 2024-25, as Councils struggled with SNP-inflicted budget cuts.
Satisfaction with street cleaning across Argyll & Bute has plummeted to just 62.3% in 2023-24, falling by 16.1% since 2013-14.
Scottish Labour said this was symptomatic of a government that is “failing on the basics” and pledged to put in place a fair funding formula that stops Councils like across Argyll & Bute from being short-changed.
Commenting, Scottish Labour candidate for Argyll & Bute Dr Callum George said “There has been a horrifying number of rat sightings across Argyll & Bute as SNP budget cuts take their toll.
“Argyll & Bute is a fantastic place to live, but we can all see how badly it is being let down by the SNP.
“The SNP is failing on the basics, leaving us with litter on the streets and rats running riot.
“People across Argyll & Bute are sick and tired of seeing our community run down by this incompetent SNP government.
“A Scottish Labour government will end the SNP’s hollowing out of Argyll & Bute and put in place a fair funding mechanism so Councils across Scotland can afford to deliver for their communities.”
