This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Executive response to Burt report
09/11/2006
The final report of the independent Local Government Finance Review Committee, chaired by Sir Peter Burt, was published today.
The Committee was established by Ministers in June 2004 to review the different forms of local taxation and then make recommendations.
Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform Tom McCabe said:
"I am grateful to Sir Peter Burt for leading the review and to Professor John Baillie, Peter Daniels and Dr Janet Lowe for all their hard work over the past two years.
"This is a substantive piece of work and will need careful consideration by the Executive, the Parliament, local authorities and the wider Scottish public.
"This is a sensitive and complex issue and that is why it was important that an independent Committee has been able to take time to gather evidence and take a detailed and objective look at the issues."
Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform George Lyon added:
"The next steps for the Executive will be to consider the findings in more detail. We would urge everyone with an interest in this report to take time to consider its findings and recommendations.
"We hope this comprehensive report can be a catalyst for an informed and constructive debate on the future of local taxation in Scotland."
2. The committee was established in 2004 with a remit to review the different forms of local taxation, including reform of the Council Tax, against criteria set by the Executive, to identify the pros and cons of implementing any changes to the local taxation system in Scotland, including the practicalities and the implications for the rest of the local government finance system and any wider economic impact, and to make recommendations.
3. The membership of the Committee is:
- Sir Peter Burt (Chair)
- Professor John Baillie
- Peter Daniels
- Dr Janet Lowe
The Committee also appointed a specialist adviser, Kenneth McKay.