Labour to propose 5.75% council tax rise in Edinburgh
The Labour group in Edinburgh are set to propose a 5.75% council tax rise tomorrow
Last updated 22nd Feb 2023
Residents in Edinburgh could be set for a 5.75% rise in their Council tax bills.
The City Council Leader Cammy Day has told Forth News that such a plan would raise in excess of ÂŁ10 Million.
That's as the local authority look to plug a budget gap of over ÂŁ70 Million.
Earlier this week the SNP group proposed a freeze on council tax for Bands A and B and then progressively larger increases working up the bands.
That would mean as high as a 20% increase for some - the SNP say that would be residents living in properties worth more than ÂŁ1 Million.
READ MORE: Proposal for radical overhaul to Edinburgh's council tax system
But yesterday (February 21) it's understood legal advice instructed such a move would be unlawful.
The SNP has now launched a joint budget with the Greens in the Chamber - scrapping those plans.
Instead they will propose a 5.99% rise to council, but with ÂŁ100 grants being given to sole residents in bands A through D.
The Lib Dems meanwhile are tabling a flat 5% increase.
The Conservatives are proposing the lowest rise of all the groups, they want to limit the increase to 4%
Edinburgh's Council Leader, Cammy Day of the Labour party, told Forth News:
"So the baseline for Council tax needed to be 3.4% and just because of the lack of available funding and the wish and desire for us to not cut some essential services, we will increase Council tax - currently proposed to be 5.75%."
Asked how much funding that would provide for the Council, Mr Day said:
" For each million pound we get around 3 and a half million pounds or so. So that raises an excess of 10 million."
"None of us want to put up council tax if we have to, but across Scotland this year alone ÂŁ1 Billion of unfunded pressures in local government."