‘Difficult decisions’ to be made as council sets budget
A council tax increase was on the table for councillors when they met to set Argyll and Bute’s budget for 2020/21 yesterday (Thursday).
But residents may not be hit with as big a jump in rates as people in Glasgow and Edinburgh, who have been handed an increase of nearly five per cent in their bills.
A report for Argyll and Bute Council’s full meeting to set its budget assumed a three per cent increase for the coming year.
It is added, though, that council tax rates are for members to decide, and an increase of up to 4.84 per cent is also on the table.
Savings options such as school crossing patrols, primary school pupil support assistants and public toilets were all under scrutiny ahead of the council meeting.
The report for the meeting, by interim executive director Kirsty Flanagan, stated: ‘Between 2017/18 and 2019/20 councils had the discretion to increase council tax by a maximum of three per cent each year.
‘In 2019/20 this was changed to allow councils the flexibility to increase the council tax by three per cent in real terms, which equated to 4.79 per cent in 2019/20. ‘A letter from the Minister of Public Finance and Digital Economy, dated February 6 2020, confirmed that flexibility would continue in 2020/21 meaning local authorities, for 2020/21, can increase council tax up to a maximum of three per cent in real terms (4.84 per cent cash).
‘This report assumes a three per cent increase based on the assumption in the mid-range scenario, however, setting the council tax is a decision for the council to take as part of the budget setting process.
‘In terms of the future years, I have assumed no increase in the worst case scenario, a three per cent increase in the mid-range scenario and a 4.84 per cent increase in the best case scenario.’
Meanwhile, council leader Aileen Morton described this year’s budget-setting process as ‘even harder’ than in previous years.
Speaking the day before the council meeting, she said: ‘Yet again the Scottish Government has cut our funding for core services and that means, yet again, we’re having to look at making some very difficult decisions.
‘Despite that though, we want to do everything we possibly can to protect services that our communities tell us they care most about, particularly those that impact on our children and young people. That’s a key priority area for us in this budget. This administration has always faced up to difficult decision-making as positively as we can and this year is no different.’