East Lothian Council approved a 10% Council Tax hike, exceeding inflation and setting a new precedent in Scotland.
The council, led by Labour, approved the increase Tuesday. They stated the rise keeps services running. Scotland ended its freeze on this tax recently. John Swinney advised against large increases, though.
Norman Hampshire leads East Lothian Council. He said growth is straining council resources. They want to protect vulnerable residents and investing in children’s education is also key.
Band A properties see a £7.98 monthly increase. Band B pays £9.31 more each month. Band C faces an extra £10.63 monthly charge. Band D will pay £11.96 more per month.
Band E increases by £15.72 each month. Band F rises by £19.44 per month. Band G goes up £23.43, and Band H has a £29.31 monthly increase.
Council rents also rise by 6.25 percent. This means an average of £5.25 extra each week. First Minister Swinney thinks big tax rises are unnecessary. He believes the government’s budget helps councils, but stated that a ten percent increase is too high.
Other councils are also considering tax hikes. Glasgow, Borders, and West Lothian are thinking about it.