Failing on council tax

WHETHER they’re closing libraries and community centres, reducing the number of bin collections, or neglecting pot-hole scarred roads, Scotland’s councils have spent recent years slashing vital services.

Year after year, Scots get even poorer value for money from their local authorities, while overpaid bureaucrats continue to receive salaries and benefits that would be unthinkable in the private sector.

Unfortunately, the council tax bills which eat into family budgets haven’t been reduced in line with the reduced levels of service. In fact, civic leaders across the country have recently increased the amount we are expected to pay.

So it is simply shocking that Scotland’s 32 local authorities have been left with a financial black hole of almost £1.3billion after failing to collect council tax.

The money uncollected by local authorities could, in an instant, reverse a number of the cuts made to services.

Inevitably, if council chiefs are to make up the shortfall created by their failure to collect money due to them, they will have to turn to the majority who play fair and pay up. Few of us would admit to taking any pleasure in handing over hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds to councils every year but responsible members of society accept that services come at a cost.

It’s time for councillors and their officials to get a grip of this situation – and for those at the top to be held accountable for their failures.