East Lothian receives increased grants but remains near the bottom for per-person funding compared to other Scottish councils.
The SPICe report indicated councils receive more money overall. East Lothian and Midlothian gain six percent more, receiving £252 million and £233 million, respectively. These councils saw the biggest revenue increase lately.
Population growth, however, means less money per person for East Lothian, and funding remains low at £2,224 per person. Only Edinburgh and Aberdeen receive less. Shetland, in contrast, receives £5,079 per person, reflecting the higher allocations for island councils.
Scotland’s average funding is £2,732 per person. Midlothian also gets less, receiving £2,373 per person, ranking them near the bottom. The report notes the high allocations islands receive. Edinburgh and Aberdeen have the lowest, likely due to higher council tax income above the national average.
The report doesn’t explain East Lothian and Midlothian’s low funding relative to need, even though they have seen significant increases in the last decade. Both councils have fast-growing populations.
East Lothian councillors plan to raise council tax by 10% to help balance their budget, alongside national funding. Midlothian Council has not announced a rate increase yet.