Council tax in East Lothian to rise 7.5% as budget approved

Council tax in East Lothian is set to rise 7.5% from April after its budget was approved.

The cross party budget was approved by a majority vote during the special council meeting on Tuesday.

New revenue and capital investment was put aside to increase capacity for holiday clubs for children with disabilities, youth work and roads winter maintenance.

During the same meeting councillors agreed not to grant the bank holiday to mark Scotland's role in this summer's FIFA World Cup.

The agreed budget also outlined plans to:

• Increase rent for council tenants by 7%
• Allocate an additional £900,000 for council home modernisation
• Increase roads capital budget by £1m
• An additional £3.3m to the Integrated Joint Bord, which plans and delivers adult health and social care services.

Council leader Norman Hampshire said: "This is a budget in which our top priority is to maintain the highest possible standard of essential public services for East Lothian communities, ensuring we give children the best possible start in life and provide care and support for everyone needing our help.

"Setting a balanced budget is increasingly difficult. The cost of providing our valued services continues to rise due to factors such as inflation, increasing service demand and population growth – because the council has been playing its part in delivering nationally set housing targets."

Last year the council was the first in Scotland to confirm a 10% hike after a nationwide freeze on the levy was lifted.

He continued: "Although it is a very difficult decision to take, increasing council tax by 7.5% helps us to balance the budget alongside other cost reduction measures, enabling us to protect services for the benefit of local residents as far as possible."

The impact of the proposed council tax increase is as follows:

• Band A - £1.52 weekly increase
• Band B - £1.77 weekly increase
• Band C - £2.02 weekly increase
• Band D - £2.28 weekly increase
• Band E - £2.99 weekly increase
• Band F - £3.70 weekly increase
• Band G - £4.46 weekly increase
• Band H - £5.58 weekly increase

During the meeting it was also decided that no public holiday would be granted to mark Scotland's participation in the Men's World Cup Finals.

The Scottish government declared a national bank holiday for 15 June, the day after Scotland's first match in the competition in 28 years.

A paper was brought before elected members in East Lothian on the potential implementation of the holiday and noted the cost it would incur.

Councillors unanimously agreed that no additional public holiday or additional annual leave day should be granted. All schools and council services will remain open.