COUNCIL leader Stephen McCabe declared yesterday that he will ‘take no lectures’ from the SNP — as political tensions simmered over £10 million worth of cuts proposals.

The Labour man hit out after Nationalist group supremo Chris McEleny accused him of doing a ‘disservice’ to Inverclyde’s upcoming budget process.

Councillor McEleny criticised Mr McCabe for telling the Telegraph that he was minded to postpone tough decisions on a programme of swingeing savings for a year.

The SNP man said: “It’s a disservice to the council’s joint budget group — which hasn’t even met to decide the terms of reference — to make statements in the press.” But Cllr McCabe snapped back: “I said what I have said to the all-members briefing on 6 November when, out of the six SNP members, none could attend.

“If you want to talk about making statements in the press, you are quoted in the Telegraph saying that the ‘Clyde would dry up’ before you would make certain cuts.

“You were pre-judging the public consultation exercise, so I will not be taking any lectures from you Councillor McEleny.” The heated exchange came as a raft of cuts proposed for the 2016/17 financial year — including plans to axe teaching posts, close Whinhill Golf Course and slash free school transport — were formally put before members of the council’s policy and resources committee.

Cllr McCabe — who leads a nine-strong minority administration on the 20-seat council — reiterated what he told the Telegraph at the weekend.

He said it was ‘highly unlikely’ that Labour would support setting a two year budget — for 2015/16 and 2016/17 — next February.

Cllr McCabe wants to focus on 2015/16 only and defer major decisions on the bulk of savings proposed by officials for 12 months.

He said: “The scale of the challenge is enormous and, through previous prudent financial planning, we have got a little bit of time.” He cited uncertainty over future block grants from the Scottish Government — despite a widely anticipated reduction in funding from Edinburgh of £6.7m in 2016/17.

Council finance chiefs have drawn up a ‘long list’ of proposed savings totalling £10 million in a bid to eventually find £7 million of cuts to services in that year.

The local authority is still set to embark on a huge district-wide public consultation on the savings proposals at the end of this month.

However, it appears increasingly likely that the toughest decisions will not now be taken next February.

Conservative councillor and Deputy Provost David Wilson supported Cllr McCabe’s stance, stating: “A one-year budget is most prudent given the financial circumstances.” However, Inverclyde’s future years public spending outlook could become clearer following a meeting between Cllr McCabe and Scottish finance secretary John Swinney on 11 December.

Labour councillor Jim Clocherty said: “When we go to consultation is will show the scale of what the council does and the real difficulties we face in coming years.

“Consultation can only be a good thing. If we don’t need to take certain decisions in February at least we know what the public thinks for future years.”