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| Falkirk sets Scotland's largest council tax increase of 15.6% | Falkirk sets Scotland's largest council tax increase of 15.6% |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Council tax pays for a range of local authority services | Council tax pays for a range of local authority services |
| Falkirk Council has set Scotland's largest council tax increase after councillors agreed a 15.6% rise in a close vote. | Falkirk Council has set Scotland's largest council tax increase after councillors agreed a 15.6% rise in a close vote. |
| Inverclyde has agreed a rise of 8.5% and Highland has set a 7% increase. The last of Scotland's 32 local authorities - East Dunbartonshire - is due to set its level later. | Inverclyde has agreed a rise of 8.5% and Highland has set a 7% increase. The last of Scotland's 32 local authorities - East Dunbartonshire - is due to set its level later. |
| It follows the announcement of some of the biggest council tax increases in about 20 years at local authorities across Scotland. | It follows the announcement of some of the biggest council tax increases in about 20 years at local authorities across Scotland. |
| Orkney Islands Council agreed a 15% increase to council tax - which had been the largest increase in the country. | Orkney Islands Council agreed a 15% increase to council tax - which had been the largest increase in the country. |
| 'Physically ill' | 'Physically ill' |
| The annual bill for an average band D council tax in Falkirk rises to £1576.77. | The annual bill for an average band D council tax in Falkirk rises to £1576.77. |
| The council's SNP administration was defeated as Independent councillor Laura Murtagh was backed by the Labour group and other Independents. | The council's SNP administration was defeated as Independent councillor Laura Murtagh was backed by the Labour group and other Independents. |
| Ms Murtagh said education services had to be saved from cuts. | Ms Murtagh said education services had to be saved from cuts. |
| Her budget rejected £1m of cuts to funded places in private nurseries, saying nurseries had not been consulted on this proposal. | Her budget rejected £1m of cuts to funded places in private nurseries, saying nurseries had not been consulted on this proposal. |
| She said: "I hate having to do this but it is the right thing to do. | She said: "I hate having to do this but it is the right thing to do. |
| "I do feel physically ill to the pit of my stomach where we are having to make these impossibile decisions. | "I do feel physically ill to the pit of my stomach where we are having to make these impossibile decisions. |
| "We are going to take an awful lot of abuse over this budget and that isn't acceptable but it is the reality." | "We are going to take an awful lot of abuse over this budget and that isn't acceptable but it is the reality." |
| "We have a £33m budget gap and we have a duty to bridge that gap." | "We have a £33m budget gap and we have a duty to bridge that gap." |
| Council leader and SNP councillor Cecil Meiklejohn said her administration's proposed 13.7% would have brought Falkirk's council tax closer to the Scottish average. | Council leader and SNP councillor Cecil Meiklejohn said her administration's proposed 13.7% would have brought Falkirk's council tax closer to the Scottish average. |
| One Falkirk man called the council tax increase "outrageous". | |
| "That's unbelievable," said another resident. "Hopefully it'll go towards community stuff. | |
| "Falkirk was a really, really good place with loads of stuff going on. But it's really quite sad now." | |
| Another resident said: "It's quite bad, considering you have to wait a while for stuff to get done." | |
| She said she hoped the money would go towards local services and repairing roads. | |
| East Dunbartonshire has suggested 13%, with a report by officials warning charging less would mean having to find more savings. | East Dunbartonshire has suggested 13%, with a report by officials warning charging less would mean having to find more savings. |
| The 8.5% increase in Inverclyde will cost an extra £121.53 per year for the average Band D household. | The 8.5% increase in Inverclyde will cost an extra £121.53 per year for the average Band D household. |
| Highland Council has voted to increase council tax by 7%. This means annual bills for an average band D property will be £1,527.09. | Highland Council has voted to increase council tax by 7%. This means annual bills for an average band D property will be £1,527.09. |
| It comes after Aberdeen City Council agreed a council tax rise of 9.85% and West Dunbartonshire 11.5%. | It comes after Aberdeen City Council agreed a council tax rise of 9.85% and West Dunbartonshire 11.5%. |
| Above-inflation rises | Above-inflation rises |
| Rates across Scotland have been frozen or capped for much of the last two decades but this year authorities are turning to above-inflation rises to balance the books. | Rates across Scotland have been frozen or capped for much of the last two decades but this year authorities are turning to above-inflation rises to balance the books. |
| They need to pay for crucial local services from schools to social care, as well as bin collections, roads maintenance, libraries and planning departments. | They need to pay for crucial local services from schools to social care, as well as bin collections, roads maintenance, libraries and planning departments. |
| Leaders gave a cautious welcome to the funding settlement from the Scottish government, calling it a "step in the right direction". | Leaders gave a cautious welcome to the funding settlement from the Scottish government, calling it a "step in the right direction". |
| But they later warned that they face "difficult decisions" to cover a £100m funding gap arising from the UK-wide increase in employer National Insurance. | But they later warned that they face "difficult decisions" to cover a £100m funding gap arising from the UK-wide increase in employer National Insurance. |
| Council chiefs in Falkirk have said a substantial tax rise was needed to help the authority to cover its costs, which include pay awards and a rise in National Insurance contributions. | Council chiefs in Falkirk have said a substantial tax rise was needed to help the authority to cover its costs, which include pay awards and a rise in National Insurance contributions. |
| Councillors were asked to choose from a number options: | Councillors were asked to choose from a number options: |
| 13.69% proposed by the council's ruling SNP administration and would see average band D bills rise to £1,550.54 a year | 13.69% proposed by the council's ruling SNP administration and would see average band D bills rise to £1,550.54 a year |
| 15.2% as suggested by the Labour group | 15.2% as suggested by the Labour group |
| 15.6% was proposed by an Independent councillor under a plan that would reject cuts to early learning and childcare | 15.6% was proposed by an Independent councillor under a plan that would reject cuts to early learning and childcare |
| 10% was the lowest option and proposed by the Conservative group | 10% was the lowest option and proposed by the Conservative group |
| The SNP group said its budget would deliver more than £486m of funding to services across Falkirk district. | The SNP group said its budget would deliver more than £486m of funding to services across Falkirk district. |
| A spokesperson said: "The rising cost of service provision, with additional pressure from decisions to increase employers' National Insurance contributions, and the impact of taking decisions that add to the strain on finances have all contributed to informing our budget for 2025-26." | A spokesperson said: "The rising cost of service provision, with additional pressure from decisions to increase employers' National Insurance contributions, and the impact of taking decisions that add to the strain on finances have all contributed to informing our budget for 2025-26." |
| A council tax rise of 13% in East Dunbartonshire would see residents in band D properties pay £1,415.66 a year. | A council tax rise of 13% in East Dunbartonshire would see residents in band D properties pay £1,415.66 a year. |
| The local authority also proposed savings which include cuts to school crossing patrols. The plan could affect 24 jobs and save the council £140,000. | The local authority also proposed savings which include cuts to school crossing patrols. The plan could affect 24 jobs and save the council £140,000. |
| It has also suggested reducing the number of days public buildings such as schools and libraries are cleaned from five to two. | It has also suggested reducing the number of days public buildings such as schools and libraries are cleaned from five to two. |
| In a public consultation on its proposed budget, the majority of the 1,295 respondents felt a 3% increase in council tax was most acceptable. | In a public consultation on its proposed budget, the majority of the 1,295 respondents felt a 3% increase in council tax was most acceptable. |
| Many people also wanted to see investment put towards improving older school buildings and attainment. | Many people also wanted to see investment put towards improving older school buildings and attainment. |
| Last year Inverclyde Council initially defied a national council tax freeze announced by Humza Yousaf at an SNP conference. | Last year Inverclyde Council initially defied a national council tax freeze announced by Humza Yousaf at an SNP conference. |
| It backtracked after receiving an additional £2.9m worth of funding to offset a planned 8.2% rise in the charge. | It backtracked after receiving an additional £2.9m worth of funding to offset a planned 8.2% rise in the charge. |
| This year councillors were asked to consider rises of between 7.75% (£1,540.58 for a band D property) and 8.5% (£1,551.30), before electing a new council leader to replace Robert Moran. | This year councillors were asked to consider rises of between 7.75% (£1,540.58 for a band D property) and 8.5% (£1,551.30), before electing a new council leader to replace Robert Moran. |
| He took on the role following the resignation of Stephen McCabe in December but is stepping down due to health reasons. | He took on the role following the resignation of Stephen McCabe in December but is stepping down due to health reasons. |
| Highland is among the four local authorities expected to agree their budget and council tax | Highland is among the four local authorities expected to agree their budget and council tax |
| Highland Council said 2% of all council tax raised would be invested in schools and improving roads. | Highland Council said 2% of all council tax raised would be invested in schools and improving roads. |
| Highland has the longest road network in the UK with more than 4,200 miles (6,759km) of roads, in excess of 1,000 miles (1,609km) of footpaths and more than 2,200 bridges and culverts. | Highland has the longest road network in the UK with more than 4,200 miles (6,759km) of roads, in excess of 1,000 miles (1,609km) of footpaths and more than 2,200 bridges and culverts. |
| Almost 70 of its more than 200 schools have been rated to be in a poor condition and 74 rated as being of poor suitability. | Almost 70 of its more than 200 schools have been rated to be in a poor condition and 74 rated as being of poor suitability. |
| Additional reporting by Local Democracy journalist Kirsty Paterson. | Additional reporting by Local Democracy journalist Kirsty Paterson. |