Council tax hikes and cuts in services on way

THOUSANDS of Scots are relying on pet food banks to feed their four-legged friends due to the cost of living crisis. Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, the first rescue charity to launch a pet food bank service in 2019, said they now help more than 2,500 owners a month.

Operations director Jamie Simpson said: ‘We have seen the scheme grow dramatically. And we are now finding the number of pets being handed in by owners who say they can no longer afford to feed and care for their beloved animals has far outstripped the number of stray animals we would normally see.’

The charity has given more than £85,000 of pet food to owners through its scheme. The Scottish SPCA has also reported that calls to its animal helpline from people wanting to hand over their pets have more than trebled this year.

HOUSEHOLDS face a nightmare double whammy of increased council tax bills and reduced services next year as Scotland’s local authorities try to plug a half-abillion pound funding black hole.

An investigation by The Scottish Mail on Sunday has discovered the shortfall between income and expenditure will be at least £537 million across all 32 councils. The gap has sparked fears town halls will have to hike bills amid the cost of living crisis.

Meanwhile, some local authorities have signalled they will need to make drastic cuts to services. After Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, right, ended the freeze on council tax increases last year, most people’s bills rose by 3 per cent.

Bigger rises are now looming next year with councils blaming the SNP Government for failing to help fund local services. On Friday, Aberdeen city council, which faces a £20 million funding gap next year, outlined potential cuts to schools and housing. This newspaper has found every one of Scotland’s 32 local councils faces a shortfall running into millions next year, except Dumfries and Galloway and Orkney, whose estimates were not yet available.

The largest local authorities are on track for the biggest shortfalls, with Edinburgh sitting at £63 million and Glasgow on £40 million. Conservative MSP Miles Briggs said: ‘We have repeatedly called on the SNP to step up and deliver for our councils.’

The Scottish Government said: ‘We are providing a real terms increase of 6.3 per cent to local authority budgets this year.’