Argyll and Bute Council has frozen council tax for 2024/2025, following additional funding from the Scottish Government.
With a further £6.26 million available for Argyll and Bute, the council set a special Council meeting (today 15 April) to re-consider the council tax decision.
Councillor Jim Lynch, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council said:
“We are now in a position to freeze council tax this year and also save local services from cuts. People need council services to live well in their communities. They also need day-to-day costs to be kept down wherever possible. Today’s decision passes on the benefits of this new funding to our communities – council tax is frozen and council services continue to be available.”
Updated council tax bills will now be issued to households setting out payments with 0% increase on last year. Payments for the remainder of the year will be reduced to take account of payments already made at the higher rate set in February.
ENDS
Notes
Additional funding is:
- The Council will get a share of £147m that the Scottish Government has made available for councils - £2.86m for Argyll and Bute. This is conditional on freezing Council Tax.
- Confirmation has been received that following the UK Government announcement on 6 March 2024 the Council will get a share of the £62.7m made available in response to COSLA’s lobbying position. Argyll and Bute’s share is £1.1m, conditional on freezing Council Tax.
- Following a meeting that the former Council Leader had with the Deputy First Minister on 23 January 2024, Mairi McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy, it has been confirmed that Argyll and Bute Council will receive an additional £2.3m of funding for 2024-25 as a contribution towards the additional costs to tackle the impact of the severe weather we faced in October last year.
Today’s decision means that council tax to be paid in respect of a chargeable dwelling in Band “D” is £1,479.20.