Reduced council tax rise approved by PKC
Administration’s plan voted through 17 votes to 14
Perth and Kinross Council has set a 2.5 per cent increase on council tax.
But councillors rejected proposals to cut the winter maintenance budget, close public toilets, remove school crossing patrollers and the school supply contingency budget.
The local authority’s 2022/23 revenue budget was set at a special meeting on Wednesday, February 23.
The elected members and council officials met virtually, with some attending the meeting from offices at PKC’s Perth headquarters for the first time in almost two years.
The SNP group proposed a 2.73 per cent increase in council tax and the Liberal Democrats a 3.49 per cent increase – while the Independent and Labour group proposed a council tax freeze.
The Conservative administration’s motion of a 2.5 per cent increase – a reduction from its previously-approved 4.25 per cent increase – was voted through.
This represents an additional £33 for a Band D property – increasing from £1318 to £1351 a year.
The Conservatives claimed to be using a “more responsible” and “prudent” approach, with their budget dipping into just over £1million-worth of uncommitted Covid-related financial reserves.
The SNP group proposed using £7.9m of it and the Independent and Labour group £9.2m.
The Liberal Democrats proposed a “sustainable” budget using no money
from Covid-related reserves.
Lib Dem Kinross-shire councillor Willie Robertson branded the SNP and Independent/Labour budgets “totally unsustainable” and said: “We can’t afford to throw money about like confetti on pet projects.”
SNP Perth councillor Andrew Parrott was “astonished neither the Liberal Democrats or Conservatives were choosing to use this reserve at the right time”.
He said: “Now is the time to use the Covid reserve. Yes, we are still cautious. We are not out of the woods yet but now is the time to act and we are acting.”
The SNP proposed using the reserves to employ three more members of staff on the Welfare Rights Team, £600,000 to help those in financial hardship, £250,000 for social prescribing and £600,000 for local action partnerships – among a raft of other proposals.
The Independent and Labour group’s budget included a £10m ‘Future Services Wealth Fund’ to “protect the people of
Perth and Kinross from future financial challenge”.
Lib Dem proposals included spending £ 250,000 on town and city centre regeneration and £200,000 on road safety projects.
Council leader Mur ray Lyl e incorporated two Lib Dem proposals into the Conservatives’ budget – a £76,000 investment in the Welfare Rights service and £ 150,000 on a community asset transfer enablement fund pilot which will support communities to acquire council buildings falling into disrepair.
But the move did not win over the five Lib Dem councillors, all of whom abstained from the final vote – along with Independent Highland ward councillor Xander McDade and Labour Carse of Gowrie councillor Alasdair Bailey.
The Conservatives’ budget was voted through by 17 votes to 14. It was up against the SNP revenue budget voted through as the substantive amendment.
The Conservatives’ budget rejected proposals to close Blairgowrie public toilets and to only open Dunkeld public toilets seasonally.
It also rejected several cuts and proposed savings floated by council officials – including a 20 per cent cut to the winter maintenance budget, the removal of school crossing patrollers.
Service charges and costs for hiring community campus spaces have been frozen, with the proposed five per cent increase rejected.
The approved budget included £100,000 to help children “disadvantaged by long periods of home learning back on track with their studies”, a variety of funds to promote economic development – including £300,000 to help convert underused or vacant High Street buildings for new uses – and £ 400,000 in the Community Investment Fund.
Cllr Lyle, who represents the Strathallan ward, said roads were a “top priority”.
He pledged a further £ 4m- worth investment on roads and bridges, £100,000 in additional gully cleaning and £300,000 on road safety measures.
Moving the administration’s budget, Cllr Lyle said: “Our prudent approach will still leave significant funds in the earmarked Covid reserve to help manage financial challenges of 2022/ 23 and beyond.”
He added: “This budget invests in our children and families. It invests in our economic wellbeing. It invests in our communities. It invests in climate change and in our infrastructure.
“It also minimises the financial impact on all our households with a belowinflation council tax increase this year.”