Council tax will remain same in Clacks

A council tax freeze in Clackmannanshire was approved by councillors.

At a meeting of the full council, it was agreed to keep it at 2021/21 levels.

Water charges are however set to rise.

A full General Fund Revenue and Capital budget will be presented to Clackmanannshire Council before the end of the month following the finalisation of the Scottish Government budget.

The Scottish Government is to compensate local authorities who choose to freeze Council Tax in the next financial year due to hardship caused by the pandemic.

Clackmannanshire Council leader Ellen Forson said:“This has been a challenging year for all.

“Freezing council tax will hopefully go some way to relieve the financial pressure on households, at a time when many people are struggling from the financial consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The local authority’s chief finance officer Lindsay Sim in a report, put before councillors last week, stated:‘The council has a legal duty to set its council tax by March 11 each year.

‘In doing so it must consider all relevant financial information available at that time.

‘On January 28, 2021, the Scottish Government released its draft budget containing the draft settlement for local authorities (Finance Circular 1/2021).

‘This budget is then subject to a parliamentary process with the final local government settlement due to be approved on March 10, 2021.

‘Due to the level of information available at this time and in order to meet the statutory deadline for setting council tax, it is recommended that the council set its council tax separately from the General Fund Revenue Budget.

‘By agreeing the council tax level ahead of the General Fund Revenue budget this allows Clackmannanshire residents to have certainty over their council tax bills for the coming year and for the Council to comply with the statutory deadline.’

Clackmannanshire Council’s 2021/22 bandings are as follows: A up to £27,000, £869.75; B - £27,001 to £35,000, £1,014.71; C - £35,001 to £45,000, £1,159.67; D - £45,001 to £58,000, £1,304.63; E £58,001 to £80,000, £1,714.14; F - £80,001 to £106,000, £2,120.02; G - £106,001 to £212,000, £2,554.89; H - over £212,000, £3,196.34.