DOZENS of Scottish local authorities have confirmed above-inflation increases in council tax next year, as council leaders said they are necessary to maintain essential public services
Orkney and Midlothian are the latest councils to confirm increases in 25/26. Bills will rise by 8.2% in Fife, 7.5% in Glasgow, and 10% in East Lothian.
Other councils are expected to impose similar increases, with a 10% rise being mooted in North Lanarkshire and an 8% increase in Edinburgh.
Both SNP and Conservative councillors criticised the extra costs loaded onto West Lothian by the rise in National Insurance contributions and rising thresholds in the council meeting today (Tuesday).
Here are the new annual charges per property band for West Lothian residents: (£)
- A 1010.30
- B 1178.77
- C 1347.24
- D 1515.45
- E 1991
- F 2462.98
- G 2968.95
- H 3712
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick told the special meeting of the full council: “I realise that some council tax payers will be concerned about our proposed increase of 8.95%. No-one running an administration in Scotland takes any great joy in having to push for this level.
“I understand that the average increase will be around eight and half per ent throughout Scotland. Why?
“The answer is quite simple we have had ten years of council tax freezes imposed by the Scottish Government and within that period we have had to deal with inflation and wage raise which has caused substantial budget difficulties extending to £172m
“Also it is a fact that when the SNP took control of the government in 2007/8 at that time councils received 28.62% of the block grant that came from Westminster. Last year, 24/25, the total managed expenditure to councils was 21.38%. That is a cut since the SNP came into power of one quarter, 25%; and everything is blamed on Westminster.”
