ARGYLL and Bute is set to hike council tax by 10% despite a Scottish Government freeze on the levy.
The local authority confirmed the move on Thursday and said it was the only way to save council services.
Argyll and Bute is run by a coalition of LibDem, Conservative and Independent councillors.
It comes after Deputy First Minister Shona Robison warned councils it will “not wash with council taxpayers” for them to accept cash from the Scottish Government to freeze the council tax at the same time as putting up the charges.
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Argyll and Bute councillors said they were forced to address a more than £10 million gap in the council’s revenue budget for running services and a £30m gap in its capital budget.
Robin Currie, LibDem leader of Argyll and Bute Council, said: “In all the years I’ve been a councillor, this has been the most difficult budget to set.
“We considered every option to save the council services and local jobs that communities need. We campaigned for fair council funding for Argyll and Bute with Cosla.
“We identified nearly £4m more savings without affecting services or jobs. We took steps to raise income such as doubling council tax on second homes.
“But Argyll and Bute still faced a multi-million pound budget gap that threatened the council services people use every day.”
Currie added: “This service-saving budget is only possible with an increase in council tax. Council tax funds council services. Increasing council tax saves services.
“It was a difficult decision to take but it is the responsible one.
“Council tax reduction benefits are there to help those in greatest need. And communities across the area can continue to rely on the council services and support they need.”
The authority said the cash would be used to fund tourism, leisure services and cost of living support.
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Tory councillor Gary Mulvaney, policy lead for financial services said: “The Scottish Government funding settlement available to the council on the basis of a council tax freeze would have meant cuts to services.
“Decisions made today keep services going for our communities. Decisions made today keep investment going in Argyll and Bute’s future.”
The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.
We previously told how Finance Secretary Robison stressed ministers were providing councils with £147m for freezing council tax bills in 2024-25 in what is a “difficult” budget “for the whole public sector”.
Rejecting the idea that councils could take the cash but also increase bills, she told MSPs on Holyrood’s Finance Committee: “That money is for the freeze and I don’t think it would be acceptable to council tax payers for us to say ‘you can have the money and you can put council tax up as well’.
“I don’t think that is going to wash with council taxpayers.”
Robison said the money for the freeze “is on the table and it is for local councils to decide”.
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