Councils hiking culture and leisure charges as budgets slashed, report finds

Scotland’s councils are hiking charges on culture and leisure services at the same time as they are slashing their budgets, a report has found.

The Accounts Commission said many local authorities are reviewing the services they offer while raising or introducing charges.

Despite an “increasing reliance” on fees, and council spending rising overall, cash assigned for culture and leisure services reduced by 3% in real terms in the five years since 2018/19.

Overall, £675m was spent in 2023/24 on culture and leisure, with £118m raised by charges – a 27% increase since 2018/29.

At the same time, local leaders have approved £9.9m worth of savings in these areas for the current year.

In its report, the Accounts Commission warned removing services risks increasing inequalities and exclusion, with rural and deprived communities having a much greater reliance on these facilities.

“The provision of culture and leisure services is important to help improve longer-term physical and mental wellbeing, linked to activity across a range of other services, and reducing them risks deepening inequalities,” it said.

The watchdog warned councils that they not only risk increasing inequalities across Scotland, but they also risk legal action against the communities impacted by any cuts.

It said failures to properly consult locals and assess the impact cuts or fee hikes would have on inequality have already seen some councils reversing decisions and communities taking legal action.

It added that gaps in how data is collected on the issue in councils means “we don’t have a full understanding of the impact of these decisions on health, wellbeing and prevention”.

Overall, 44 million visits were made to the nation’s libraries in 2023/24, the same as 2018/19.

Scotland’s public sports facilities saw numbers decline by 21% in that time to 43 million last year.

Fifteen million visits were paid to museums across the country – a 25% increase since 2018/19.

Satisfaction and attendance rates for some services remain below pre-pandemic levels.

Jo Armstrong, chairwoman of the Accounts Commission, said: “Culture and leisure services are vital to our health and wellbeing, supporting national and local priorities and supporting people to be better connected.

“Gaps in national data need to be addressed to better understand how these reductions in spending on culture and leisure are impacting communities.

“As councils manage continued pressures due to increasing demands and costs, culture and leisure services have experienced a disproportionate share of council savings measures.

“Communities must be fully consulted on decisions to close, centralise facilities or changes to charging. Failing to do this risks deepening inequalities and legal action by communities.”