SNP mull over council tax change

Owners of plush homes across the north could be facing massive rises in their council tax bills.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the Scottish Government is considering a shake-up of the banding system. The SNP leader said her party would adopt a “progressive” approach as part of an expected council tax overhaul if the Nationalists remain in power after May’s Holyrood elections.

Two new top-rate bands – I and J – could be introduced as part of a strategy to getwell-off homeowners to pay more to their local authorities.

This would mean Highlands, Shetland and Orkney bills would go up to more than £ 3,500 a year, in Moray they would rise to £3,770, and bills in Aberdeenshire bills would go up to £3,782.

SIR – The comments of former Salmond aide Alex Bell on the economics of independence (17 November) must be devastating for the SNP. Hopefully in future, those who point out the financial consequences of breaking off from the rest of the UK will no longer be dismissed as scaremongers.

Mr Bell's analysis only referred to the increased taxes and borrowing that would be needed to maintain spending at the current level in Scotland which is £1,400 per head above the rest of the UK. Since the SNP oppose every cut, and even promise to renationalise the Post Office, they seem to give the impression that there would be vastly increased spending in an independent Scotland. This suggestion is, to use Mr Bell's word, “immoral".

As borrowing by a new state would be expensive we can only assume that most of the “hit" would be in the form of tax rises, and public service cuts on a scale that would make the current austerity seem tame in comparison.

It is still perfectly legitimate to believe that Scotland should be a separate state, but not to claim we would be better off.

Keith Shortreed Cottown of Gight

Methlick