This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Local authorities to announce council tax figures
09/02/2005
The Executive is committed to working with local authorities to ensure the people of Scotland get the public services they expect and deserve, Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform Tom McCabe said today.
The Minister was speaking ahead of most Scottish councils announcing their council tax figures tomorrow, Thursday.
Average grant increases of 5.5 per cent coupled with low inflation means local authorities should exercise restraint when setting their council tax levels. Mr McCabe said:
"Scottish local authorities have received unprecedented rises in financial support since Devolution. By 2008, the level of funding they receive will have risen by a massive 55 per cent.
"In 2005-06, the average increase is 5.5 per cent. Coupled with inflation currently at just 1.6 per cent, I believe most people would agree that is a reasonable settlement which should allow councils to exercise restraint when setting their council tax levels.
"I have no doubt, however, that council taxpayers do not want to see the Executive and local authorities arguing about the settlement they receive. They want to see us getting on with what we are paid to do, delivering the kind of public services people expect and deserve - and that is exactly what the Executive is committed to doing.
"Many councils and council leaders I speak to are doing an excellent job and delivering first-class public services. They agree that their settlement is tight but realistic and they are getting on with doing what their council taxpayers expect them to do.
"Local authorities are answerable to their council taxpayers for all of their actions. The Scottish Executive and their council taxpayers expect them to exercise restraint when setting council tax levels this week - and the financial settlement we have given them allows them to do just that."