On 9 June 2026, First Minister John Swinney announced that Clackmannanshire Council would receive an additional £1 million to help deal with the ongoing impact of the ground movement emergency in Coalsnaughton.

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney stated that the funding, approved by Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary Jenny Gilruth, would ensure that "the council is equipped financially to provide the support to individuals that is required in the short term" and recognised that "there are very significant costs that are being carried by a very small local authority".

Residents welcome this additional funding and recognise the support provided by the Scottish Government.

However, there remains concern within the local community that there has been no public confirmation that the £1 million will be ring-fenced exclusively for supporting those affected by the Coalsnaughton ground movement crisis.

We are therefore calling on Clackmannanshire Council to publicly confirm that this funding will be used solely for:

Emergency accommodation and housing support.
Staffing and operational costs directly related to supporting affected residents.
Welfare and hardship assistance.
Professional assessments, surveys, and recovery work linked to the incident.
Any other costs directly connected to supporting those impacted by the ground movement.
We further ask the council to confirm that none of this funding will be used for:

Councillor salary increases.
Pay rises for senior management, directors, or the Chief Executive.
COSLA membership costs.
General council spending unrelated to the Coalsnaughton emergency.
This petition is not based on any evidence that the funding will be used for these purposes. Rather, it is a request for transparency and reassurance.

Many residents are seeking this reassurance because of recent decisions that have affected public confidence in how local authority finances are managed.

In February 2025, Clackmannanshire residents faced a 13 per cent council tax increase at a time when many households were already struggling with rising living costs.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czx7kzxn93yo

Only weeks later, reports emerged of significant increases in remuneration for senior elected members. According to reports in the Alloa Advertiser, senior councillors received substantial salary increases, with Council Leader Ellen Forson's annual salary increasing from £35,580 to £50,063 — an increase of more than 40 per cent.

https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/25038382.clackmannanshire-council-senior-members-salaries-rise-40-per-cent/

Later, it was also reported that Clackmannanshire Council's Chief Executive received a salary increase of approximately £32,000.

https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/25630085.clacks-councils-nikki-bridle-get-32-000-pay-rise/

The close timing between the 13 per cent council tax increase and these significant pay rises has left many residents questioning whether the financial pressures facing local households are fully understood by those making decisions on their behalf.

Clackmannanshire Council has also publicly acknowledged challenges in engaging with residents during budget consultations. Following the 2026/27 budget consultation, Council Leaderstated that she "doesn't know what else can be done" to encourage more residents to participate in the budget-setting process. With only a small proportion of the population taking part in these consultations, many residents feel there remains a gap between public opinion and council decision-making.

https://www.alloaadvertiser.com/news/25898340.clackmannanshire-councils-struggle-engage-households/

We stress again that this petition is not suggesting that the £1 million Coalsnaughton support fund will be used for salary increases or other unrelated expenditure. However, given previous financial decisions and concerns regarding public engagement, many residents believe it is reasonable to seek a clear public commitment that this funding will be used solely for supporting those affected by the Coalsnaughton ground movement emergency.

A public guarantee and transparent reporting of expenditure would help restore trust and demonstrate that the funding is being used exactly as intended by the Scottish Government – to support the people impacted by this unprecedented situation.

We therefore call upon Clackmannanshire Council to:

Publicly confirm the £1 million is ring-fenced for Coalsnaughton-related support.
Publish regular updates detailing how the funding is being spent.
Provide a final public report showing exactly how the money was used.
Guarantee that every pound is directed towards supporting affected residents and the response to the ground movement emergency.
The people of Coalsnaughton deserve certainty, transparency, and confidence that this funding will be used exactly as intended.

Sign this petition if you agree.