Council tax expected to rise as next year’s budget is finalised

Fife councillors will today thrash out the local authority’s budget for the coming year.

Residents can expect their council tax bills rise come April, with council rents also set to increase.

Meanwhile, a number of savings will be outlined in an effort to bridge an estimated £15.5 million budget gap for 2020-21.

Elected members have been told in advance they have the flexibility to raise council tax by as much as 4.84%, which would recoup £7.9m.

A recommendation that council rents and charges should go up by 3% is also expected to be taken on board.

Council co-leader David Alexander has described the budget as “one of the most transformational” in years and said the region’s education and children’s services workforce will increase by more than 350 full-time equivalent staff.

Fife’s Conservative group has tabled proposals that include keeping tax rises under 4%, reopening leisure centres and increasing recycling centre hours.

They also say they would allow greater competition in road maintenance and transport, focus on hungry children during school holidays and stop cutting privately-owned grass for free.

Councillor Dave Dempsey, leader of the opposition, said: “We will invest to allow greater competition in road maintenance and transport, saving hundreds of thousands in subsequent years, reinstate the swimming pool and recycle centre opening hours and, instead of feeding everyone regardless of need, we will target the holiday service at genuinely hungry children and allow a third sector organisation like Gingerbread to deliver it, saving the Fife taxpayer £150,000 per year”.