Scottish Government plans to increase council tax bands E-H from April 2017, but centralise the funds, which will mean that many Local Authorities will not receive any benefit.
Research from the Scottish Conservatives has found East Lothian is to see an effective net loss of £1,513,600 in 2017/18.
The effective net loss by 2021 will be £6,054,400.
This is opposed to Glasgow City that will see an effective net gain in 2017/18 of £12,638,880 increasing to £50,555,520 by 2021.
The average band E household will pay £2 per week more than at present, and those in the highest band about £10 a week more.
The expected £100 million raised will be spent on education throughout Scotland.
Rachael Hamilton MSP said:
‘The Scottish Government’s plan to increase Council taxes are unfair and unwanted by the vast majority of Scotland. I have had constituents contact me who have finally been able to retire only to have their council tax band increase and be punished for all their hard work.’
‘To rub salt into the wound East Lothian will see no benefit from the raised costs because of the centralisation of funds. This means that improving attainment nor the head teacher shortage in East Lothian be targeted. It will only mean that by 2021 East Lothian will have seen over £6 million that should have gone to education, health and other infrastructure projects in East Lothian go elsewhere’.
‘This is another clear example of East Lothian being taken for granted by the Scottish Government. It demands we find room for 10,000 homes, but will not guarantee appropriate infrastructure improvements in time, or an A&E unit in our new hospital or tackle East Lothian’s own education shortcomings with this new funding.’
‘The Scottish Conservatives voted against this unfair council tax reform and we will continue to oppose it.’