Council tax is set to increase from April for houses in bands E, F, G and H, in line with the decision made by the Scottish Government.
Aberdeenshire Council will set its 2017/18 budget on 9 February and the council has the option to raise council tax on all bands (A to H) by up to 3%. The council cannot be selective; if a decision is taken to increase council tax, the increase is applied to all bands.
The old and new rates for bands E to H under the government plans are:
Band. Current Rate. New Rate
E. £1394.56 £1499.15
F. £1648.11. £1854.13
G. £1901.67. £2234.46
H. £2282.00. £2795.45
These rates will increase further if the council decides to raise council tax rates by up to 3%, the maximum allowed by the Scottish Government.
Do you think Aberdeenshire Council should increase council tax by up to 3%? The increase would bring in roughly £3m, for a 3% rise across the board.
The alternative is that the council makes deeper cuts to its services. Cuts are hard to avoid though given that the Scottish Government is cutting its grants to local authorities by 3.5% (£350 million). The exact details for Aberdeenshire are not known yet.
I think council taxes should be increased, and the increase should not be penilised by central government reducing monies allocated. My personal view is all parties are now afraid to increase direct taxation for fear of losing votes which leads to all the weird and wonderful ways indirect taxation is applied.
Thank you for your input. The SNP was planning to take funding raised in the North East and spend it on education in the central belt. They seemed to have drawn back on that. However various issues still had to be clarified before the festive break, so hopefully the detail will be clearer now. Council taxes raised here should be spent here.
I’m against this possible increase as it’s unfair to those who have had to pay if they have purchased a home in a higher band. Increase the rateable value of all homes to bring them in line with those who pay when they moved.
Why should I have to pay in a higher band for the same services as people in my street who pay much less? And now you want me to pay another increase.
Thank you for your comments. I would agree with your view that it is unfair the way the Scottish Government has imposed this change on the higher banded houses. It hits the North East especially hard. However I have to part company with you on your closing comment … I have not yet taken a view on whether you, me and everybody else should see their council tax increased across the board. It may be that it is an acceptable way forward in order to reduce the inevitable cuts that local authorities have to make. However it may be that efficiencies and better ways of working might avoid that. It of course may a vain hope. I await reports from council officers which will lay out the facts and the options open to councillors.