Former Lothian first 10% council to confirm tax growth

The East Lothian Council has become the first Scottish local authority to confirm a double -point council.

A nationwide freeze on the levy is being picked up in April.

The East Lothian Council said that there was a need to increase a 10% increase to maintain essential services and protect weak residents.

Last week, councilors agreed to a draft scheme with a 10% increase in Scottish boundaries, stating that they had no choice but to increase rates.

The Labor-led East Lothian Council agreed to the tax hike as part of its budget for 2025-26.

Councilors said that they were facing financial pressures due to the increasing population of the local authority, increasing demand for services and pressure from the government to distribute nationwide policies.

Council leader Norman Hampshire said: “Eastern Lothian growth continued pressure on all parts of the council.

“It is important that we can maintain essential services to protect our weakest inhabitants and invest in education to give all children the best start in life.”

Also tax growth, fare for council tenants will increase by 6.5%, an average of £ 5.25 a week.

The budget included a cut of £ 8.9m over the next five years, including a commitment to find further savings to shut down the funding gap.

The councilors agreed to invest more than £ 200m in the infrastructure over the next five years, with £ 1M in modernization of council homes and £ 7.5M for the body oversee adult health and social care services.

It is up to individual local authorities to determine the tax rates of the council, although they have been frozen or cap for the last 20 years.

The Scottish government subsidized a freeze in 2024-25, although it ended in April.

Many cash-stapped councils have already indicated that there may be mass growth on the way.

Councilors in the Scottish boundaries say that a proposed 10% increase is to protect essential services.

The East Lothian, Murali and Shetland Council have also considered an increase of up to 10%, while Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Irsires are reportedly looking at 8%.

Scottish government has said Budget for 2025-26Local authorities, including an additional £ 1BN, should deny the need for large council tax growth.

Minister is also expecting To cover 60% The cost of the UK government’s decision to increase national insurance contribution of employers.

The council says that additional Holiroad funding still leaves them £ 100 meters small, designed to cover the funding gap with “difficult decisions”.