Musicians are out of tune in funding fight

COUNCIL leaders have declined to raise the funding crisis facing a traditional music group in the Capital with Scottish ministers.

The award-winning Scots Music Group (SMG) was set up in 1990 to promote and maintain Scotland's traditional musical heritage but has lost out on £60,000 funding from the Scottish Arts Council. The money is a third of the group's budgeted income for the year.

Labour group culture spokesman Paul Godzik called on the Lib Dem/SNP administration to raise the council's concerns with Culture Minister Linda Fabiani, but his motion was rejected by the administration.

Edinburgh culture leader Deidre Brock warned against "turning the council into a lobbying group".

Cllr Godzik said: "This is a pathetic response by the Lib Dem/SNP administration.

"They have point black refused to stand up for this award-winning Edinburgh organisation, in order to spare the blushes of the SNP Government.

"They have put party politics before standing up for Edinburgh.

"The SMG has been a tremendous success, teaching traditional music and dance to thousands of people over nearly two decades."