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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Scotland's biggest councils prepare to set budgets and tax rates | Scotland's biggest councils prepare to set budgets and tax rates |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Councils in Scotland's two biggest cities are preparing to set their budgets. | Councils in Scotland's two biggest cities are preparing to set their budgets. |
| Taxpayers in Glasgow and Edinburgh will learn how much bills will go up by in April. | Taxpayers in Glasgow and Edinburgh will learn how much bills will go up by in April. |
| Both cities are looking to find savings of tens of millions of pounds. The delay to this year's Holyrood budget has set back the councils' decisions. | Both cities are looking to find savings of tens of millions of pounds. The delay to this year's Holyrood budget has set back the councils' decisions. |
| Councils across Scotland have the power to raise council tax this year by up to 4.84%. | |
| Council umbrella body Cosla is still hoping councils will get more than the government currently proposes. | Council umbrella body Cosla is still hoping councils will get more than the government currently proposes. |
| 'Tough choices' | 'Tough choices' |
| Edinburgh City Council said it needed to save £87m over the next three years. | Edinburgh City Council said it needed to save £87m over the next three years. |
| It added this will "require tough choices and that it must embrace a forward thinking longer-term approach". | It added this will "require tough choices and that it must embrace a forward thinking longer-term approach". |
| The council plans to set a three-year budget today rather than just one for the next year. | |
| Options on the table include: | Options on the table include: |
| By Wednesday night, no solid proposals had been announced by Glasgow City Council's minority SNP administration. They are likely to be made public shortly before the meeting on Thursday afternoon. | By Wednesday night, no solid proposals had been announced by Glasgow City Council's minority SNP administration. They are likely to be made public shortly before the meeting on Thursday afternoon. |
| Talks are taking place between different parties to try to find a deal. | Talks are taking place between different parties to try to find a deal. |
| Speculation the Gallery of Modern Art building may be sold off has been dismissed by the deputy leader of the council. | Speculation the Gallery of Modern Art building may be sold off has been dismissed by the deputy leader of the council. |
| There has, however, been speculation about the future of some community centres and the council's golf courses. | There has, however, been speculation about the future of some community centres and the council's golf courses. |
| So far no councils have said they will use the new workplace parking levy, which can be introduced from April, but some have actively ruled it out. | So far no councils have said they will use the new workplace parking levy, which can be introduced from April, but some have actively ruled it out. |
| As a general rule, many councils say they have found each successive round of annual savings more challenging as easier efficiencies and cuts have already been made. | As a general rule, many councils say they have found each successive round of annual savings more challenging as easier efficiencies and cuts have already been made. |
| Council umbrella body Cosla is still hoping councils will get more than the government currently proposes. | Council umbrella body Cosla is still hoping councils will get more than the government currently proposes. |
| The organisation argues the Scottish government's announcement of an additional £495m for councils is misleading to communities when taken on its own. | The organisation argues the Scottish government's announcement of an additional £495m for councils is misleading to communities when taken on its own. |
| Part of the organisation's argument concerns the amount of government money which is either ring fenced or spent on specific agreed objectives such as education. | Part of the organisation's argument concerns the amount of government money which is either ring fenced or spent on specific agreed objectives such as education. |
| However at Holyrood, the new finance minister Kate Forbes argued the government was doing the best it could for councils. | However at Holyrood, the new finance minister Kate Forbes argued the government was doing the best it could for councils. |
| A few other councils have already set their budgets - others are expected to do so over the next two to three weeks. | A few other councils have already set their budgets - others are expected to do so over the next two to three weeks. |