Council tax for North Lanarkshire residents will increase by five per cent from April 1.
The rise was agreed at this afternoon’s annual budget-setting meeting and means payment bands for householders will range from £880.52 for band A to £3235.93 in band H for 2023-2024.
Councillors are currently agreeing the local authority’s finances for the year ahead - and started the process facing a £28 million shortfall to balance the books for the 12 months ahead.
The five per cent council tax increase – taking the area’s band D figure to £1320.78 - was proposed by the Labour administration and unanimously agreed by councillors; with one per cent of the funds to be allocated to the authority’s community investment projects.
Rental costs for council tenants will also increase by five per cent, with housing convener Heather Brannan-McVey noting that it would raise £7.1m in the year ahead.
North Lanarkshire’s household rates have risen in every year but one since a decade-long national freeze on council tax ended five years ago, with the five per cent increase being the highest of those to date.
It increased by three per cent in 2018, 2019 and 2022 and by the maximum permissible 4.84 per cent in 2020, but was frozen two years ago as part of the authority’s Covid recovery budget.
The new council tax figure does not include Scottish Water charges which are collected alongside the household payment in a combined bill – with the utility company already having confirmed that it is also imposing a five per cent rise for the year ahead.
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