The UK Government has been asked to help Argyll and Bute Council, which agreed last month to increase council tax by 10%.
The decision by the council’s ruling group, made up of Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and some independents, flew in the face of First Minister Humza Yousaf’s pledge of a council tax freeze across Scotland.
The previous day Mr Yousaf’s deputy Shona Robison had made a last-minute announcement of an extra £62.7m for councils across Scotland, with most of this coming from ‘Barnett consequentials’.
But after the Argyll and Bute decision made national headlines Ms Robison said that the extra funding was ‘contingent on agreement to freeze the Council Tax’.
Argyll and Bute’s share was be expected to be around £800,000.
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Now council leader Robin Currie has written to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, for his assistance in ensuring, if this funding becomes available, that all councils receive it.
Cllr Currie said: “Communities need council services to live well locally. Council services need funding.
“Increasing council tax was an extremely difficult decision to take but it was the one we had to take, to save vital services and jobs.
“The Scottish Government funding settlement available to the council on the basis of a council tax freeze would have meant cuts to services.
“Reducing the quality of life in Argyll and Bute by cutting vital council services would not only have affected people’s day-to-day lives but would also have been counter-productive to our urgent need to grow our population and economy.
“The amount of additional funding potentially available would not be enough to remove the council tax increase but would provide welcome protection for services against budget gaps we know are coming in future years.
“If more much-needed funding becomes available, people in Argyll and Bute have a right to receive their share, and we are seeking the UK Government’s support in getting it.”
A potential £45m for council across Scotland would come through the UK Barnett consequentials, the funding additions given to the devolved administrations to reflect increases in public expenditure in England.
Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire council are also seeking UK Government support in getting this potential funding to all councils, while last month the local government group COSLA accused the Scottish Government of ‘interfering’ in local council affairs.
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