This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scottish Executive publishes Local Government financial statistics for 1998/99
31/01/2001
Almost half of local authority revenue expenditure in Scotland in 1998/99 went on education and housing services, according to Scottish Executive statistics published today in "Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics 1998/99".
The figures show that, of total local authority revenue expenditure amounting to £10 billion, £2.6 billion was spent on education and £2.2 billion went on housing services.
Social work services accounted for £1.4 billion of total local authority revenue expenditure while spending on law, order and protective services amounted to just under £1 billion.
Almost 40 per cent of total revenue expenditure was accounted for by employee costs, 44 per cent by operating expenses and a further 11 per cent by loan charges.
Gross revenue income (including the income of housing and trading services) was £10.0 billion in 1998/99. Of this, £5.4 billion came from Government Grants; £1.7 billion from fees and charges (mainly council house rents); £1.4 billion from non-domestic rates and £1.1 billion from council tax.
Capital expenditure on land, buildings and other major assets amounted to £0.8 billion in 1998/99. Capital income of £0.4 billion came mostly from the sale of fixed assets.
A Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication
BACKGROUND
1. The figures given include expenditure on general fund services, housing and trading services. General fund services are those services financed principally from non-domestic rates, council tax and revenue support grant and include education, social work, roads and transport, law, order and protective services and cleansing. Expenditure on trading services includes harbours and piers, road bridges and other trading services. Expenditure from special funds, common good funds and superannuation funds are not included.
2. Income figures also exclude income from special funds, common good funds and superannuation funds.
3. This publication covers the transactions of local authorities and joint boards as defined in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. It contains a summary of local authority revenue and capital expenditure and income broken down into specific sections covering general fund services, housing, trading services and other funds.
4. As well as these expenditure and income tables there are also sections on outstanding capital debt, local taxes (non-domestic rates and council tax) and local authority employment.
5. Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics 1998/99 is a publication of the Government Statistical Service and is priced at £5. It may be obtained from The Stationary Office Books, 71 Lothian Road, Edinburgh, EH3 9AZ (ISBN number: 1 84268 779 4).
News Release: SE0198/2001
31 Jan 2001