This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Finance Minister responds to council tax figures
12/02/2004
The stability of three-year budgets allows local
authorities to plan ahead when setting council tax levels,
Finanace and Public Services Minister Andy Kerr said
today.
Most local authorities have now set their council tax
levels for 2004-05 in line with, or less than, indicative
figures announced last year, underlining the benefits of
three year budgets.
The Executive is supporting this with an adjusted
increase of 6.5 per cent in funding in 2004-05.
Mr Kerr emphasised that the Executive is determined to
ensure council taxpayers enjoy improved delivery of public
services in return for increased investment.
He said:
"The Executive is committed to the improved delivery of
public services. Local government has a crucial role to
play in delivering that goal - and that is why we have
given local authorities the freedom, flexibility and
funding to deliver this shared priority.
"Scottish local authorities will receive an adjusted
increase of 6.5 per cent in funding in 2004-05. This
settlement has ensured that local authorities set their
council tax at levels similar to those announced
provisionally last year.
"That is the biggest benefit of three year budgets -
they give our councils financial stability and lets them
plan ahead with certainty. The fact that most councils tax
levels are similar to provisional figures shows that this
system is working.
"The setting of council tax figures is a matter for
local authorities, but the funding the Executive is giving
local authorities should ensure they can meet the
commitment they made to local people with their provisional
figures. "I believe our councils are already making
progress in improving public service delivery - but there
is no doubt we can do better and drive up standards
further. That has to be the prize for all local
authorities.
"There has been considerable debate about council tax
over the past few weeks but the end result of this is that
the average rise in Scotland has been below five per
cent.
"I am surprised that two councils have not managed to
set their council tax in line with expectations. I respect
the right of councils to make local decisions but I am
interested, in order to ensure efficiency and value for
money for local people, in why they went against national
trends."