TALKS held between Inverclyde Council’s leader and the Deputy First Minister to find a council tax compromise have today broken down without a deal being agreed.
Councillor Stephen McCabe met with Shona Robison, who is also the Scottish Government’s finance secretary, this morning.
Last week, councillors agreed to increase tax in Inverclyde by 8.2 per cent in 2024/25 and agreed on a provisional rise of six per cent in 2025/26.
In doing so, the council declined the Scottish Government’s funding offer to implement a freeze in 2024/25.
Cllr McCabe wrote to Ms Robison after the meeting to offer a compromise which would see taxpayers in the area given a rebate to ensure they received a share of the money earmarked for Inverclyde by the Scottish Government.
This proposal was rejected at today’s meeting.
Cllr McCabe said: “I was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the Deputy First Minister, but I am deeply disappointed that she continues to disrespect the Council’s democratic decision to raise Council Tax, which we believe is in the interests of the residents of Inverclyde.
“I am also disappointed that she has rejected the eminently reasonable compromise I put forward of a one-off council tax discount for 2024/25, which would effectively achieve a freeze for the next 12 months.
“I will now pursue the council’s share of the £62.7m of the funding the Deputy First Minister has now confirmed is available following the UK Spring Budget through COSLA.
"All councils should be entitled to a share of this funding irrespective of the decision they took on council tax.”
The decision to increase council tax in 2024/25 means the Band D level will increase £117.24 to £1,547.01 – equivalent to an extra £2.25 a week.
The average weekly increase for the remaining 28,700 households is £1.99.
For those living in Band A properties – which accounts for 46 per cent of households in Inverclyde –the weekly increase is £1.50 and for the 16 per cent of household which fall under Band B, the increase is £1.75.
Around 28 per cent of households in Inverclyde will not pay any more in council tax next year.
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