ALMOST half of all adults are not satisfied with Scotland's schools, health service and transport.
Just 51.9 per cent say they are happy with public services – the lowest since records began in 2007.
This marks a substantial fall from 2011, when 66% of Scots said they were content, according to the latest Scottish Household Survey.
It comes as Nicola Sturgeon was accused of presiding over a tired administration as she launched her legislative programme for the coming year.
She previously insisted education is her “number one priority”, but satisfaction with Scotland’s schools has plummeted over the last six years – from 85% in 2011 to 70% last year.
Scottish Conservative MSP Annie Wells said the statistics were a “truly damning indictment of the SNP’s record in government”.
She said: “These findings are entirely consistent with the longest ever waiting times in hospitals, trains that are often delayed and schools that do not have enough teachers.
“The marked decline in satisfaction with local schools is particularly concerning and reflects deep unease among the general public about the state of Scottish education today.
“The sad fact is that as long as the SNP is consumed by civil war and IndyRef2, it has neither the will nor the ideas to improve public services.”
Scottish Labour’s campaigns spokesman Neil Findlay said it was “increasingly clear that lifeline services such as the NHS, schools and railways are struggling in the face of Tory and SNP cuts and privatisation”.
He said: “Our doctors, nurses and teachers do fantastic work, but they are being asked to deliver more with less and less resources.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Green MSP Andy Wightman said the findings “must serve as a final warning to ministers to change their centralising mind set and desist in blocking council efforts to raise more revenue to protect local services”.
The Scottish Household Survey for 2017, which is based on interviews with more than 10,000 adults, showed Scots are most satisfied with local health services, with 82% responding positively. Just 69% are happy with public transport, compared to 76% in 2011.
Overall, those living in cities are more satisfied with public services than those in rural areas. This is largely due to a general unhappiness with public transport in rural communities.
Parents of school-age children reported far greater levels of satisfaction with local schools than the general population – with 87% saying they are content.
Elsewhere, a record number of Scots now regard climate change as an urgent problem.
Young people appear to be particularly concerned about global warming, while worry is lowest among those over the age of 75.
In total, 95% of adults rate their neighbourhood as a good place to live and 78% say they have a strong sense of belonging.
More than half of Scots feel they are managing well financially but single parent and single adult households are more likely to report concerns.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the annual survey “is a unique opportunity for people to share their views and experiences and help government to understand the issues affecting communities”.
He said: “This year’s results show that many people are managing well financially and the majority are happy with their neighbourhoods and local services but we can see that inequalities remain.
“We are working to reduce poverty and social exclusion through a range of actions across government including investing £125 million this year alone to mitigate the very worst effects of UK Government welfare cuts and protect those on low incomes.
“These findings will help us continue to make decisions to shape a fair and inclusive Scotland for everyone."
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