Council tax bombshell for Scots as leak shows planned payment hikes

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Local authority chiefs have been planning council tax rises of 10 per cent - piling pressure on Humza Yousaf to say how his government will pay for a freeze.Leaked papers show some authorities have been considering the inflation-busting rises to council tax to maintain local services during the cost-of-living crisis.But with the SNP/Green government promising to fund a national council tax freeze, the First Minister has been urged to explain how he will compensate local authorities for binning planned rises.Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie said: “The First Minister’s council tax announcement was so off the cuff that even his own cabinet and coalition partners were taken by surprise.“Many councils were planning significant rises to raise revenue.

If a freeze is being imposed, councils will need to be compensated in full, otherwise the First Minister will be forcing them to axe vital services."When it comes to tax, no one knows whether Humza Yousaf will raise it or cut it next.

That’s making it impossible for businesses, households and local authorities to plan their finances.”Yousaf angered town hall bosses when he announced plans for a council tax freeze during the SNP conference.

They are worried deep cuts to education, children’s services and leisure centres will have to be made as a result of the freeze.