Calls for debate on 5% council tax rise ahead of Inverness meeting
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COUNCIL tax bills could go up next year after the leader of the Liberal Democrat group called for a debate on a 5 per cent increase.
David Alston wants an urgent public consultation over the proposal, with the findings reported back to councillors in December and larger bills possibly introduced by April.
The move would add just less than £5 a month on to the council tax for a Band D property, taking the annual bill up to £1221.15.
The idea is likely to win the support of council leader Margaret Davidson who led calls for a 5 per cent rise this time last year. As recently as last week she was telling her fellow members a rise in council tax was what the electorate wanted and needed.
Councillor Alston spells out his proposal in a motion to Thursday’s full council meeting in Inverness.
It asks councillors "to agree to consult the members of the council’s Citizens Panel on their views on a 5 per cent increase in council tax in 2016/17 and a report on the outcomes being made to the December meeting of council".
Fellow Liberal Democrat councillor Alasdair Christie, who co-signed the motion, said yesterday: "This is just making sure that the question is put out there for debate. My personal view is that the council tax system is broken and the Scottish Government needs to find a solution and get it fixed with a form of local taxation that’s fair and equal and ensures that services will be delivered.
"If we do not put that motion down, there’s no guarantee that the question will ever be put by the minority administration."
Councillor Davidson confirmed her group would probably support the motion.
"We are in the eighth year of the council tax freeze, I can hardly believe that," she said.
"What people are telling me is they do not want any more cuts in services and if one way of helping that to happen is to put up the council tax, then so be it."
Asked if her group would want to see a 5 per cent rise next year, she said: "We can’t say yes or no until we know what the Scottish Government’s final cash settlement is. We should know that by 18th December."
All local authorities are incentivised by the Scottish Government to keep their council tax frozen. The government provides each council with the equivalent of a 3 per cent rise in council tax for doing so.
Councillor Davidson said the council would need to ask ministers for permission to raise council tax without incurring financial penalties.
Mr Alston’s motion comes as Councillor Davidson prepares to hold a public debate on Facebook about council tax. It is part of a new online consultation series intended to gather views on how the council can save £21 million from the budget for 2016-17, which is due to be set in February.
Councillor Alston believed his motion was more reflective of public opinion, and claimed it was "insulting" for Councillor Davidson to suggest that chatting on Facebook about council tax and other issues was a substitute for "a proper programme of consultation approved by the council".
He argued the ruling administration should not need prompting by his opposition group to canvas the electorate over such an important issue.
"The Independent administration has been in power six months and has brought nothing to council about the budget. That is a big concern and clearly one of the issues that has to be part of that consultation is to establish what people in Highland think about a rise in council tax. The idea that the council leader chatting on Facebook about council tax and other issues is a substitute for a proper programme of consultation approved by the council is insulting."
However, Councillor Davidson insisted Facebook was a fresher, more engaging approach.
"Obviously he would choose to put on a budget consultation, the previous administration always went out to the village halls and three people and a dog turned up," she said.
"But we are going to be using our Citizen’s Panel and the internet and we will have a budget blog."
She said leaflets would be printed for people who did not use the Internet.
