Fears for school budgets

South Lanarkshire schools could see their budgets stretched if the independent sector loses charitable tax relief, it has been warned.

Scottish Government plans to change the business rates system would hit independent schools with a massive 80 percent rise - with some facing seven-figure increases to their bills.

South Lanarkshire’s Conservative group expressed concerns that this could result in the council’s own schools forced to take on extra pupils.

At last week’s finance and corporate resources committee meeting, the Tories called for the potential impact on the authority’s schools to be included in its response to a national consultation.

However, this was voted down by SNP, Labour and independent councillors.

Councillor Eric Holford, finance spokesman for South Lanarkshire’s opposition Conservatives, said: “Local schools deserve to be considered before this change is made.

“South Lanarkshire has excellent schools so if the independent sector increases its fees, many of the parents who pay privately will instead bring their children back into our system.

“That would inevitably mean council school budgets being further stretched.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Government said that work is still being done on its proposals and that the aim is to deliver this change by 2020.