Council tax in Aberdeen will increase by 9.85%

Council tax in Aberdeen will increase by 9.85%.

Spectra will be supported for the next two years and a fourth Cruyff Court will be built in Kincorth as part of Aberdeen City Council’s 2025 budget.

The announcements came as the SNP and Liberal Democrat partnership put forward their “ambitious but compassionate” budget yesterday.

While it included a 9.85% council tax rise, it also featured welcome funding for groups and exciting new projects across the city.

Politics

Is your council tax going up and by how much?

A nationwide freeze on the levy ends in April meaning local authorities have made the biggest increases in decades.

Who were the budget winners this year?

Finance convener Alex McLellan revealed that Spectra would be back, having drawn huge crowds to the city centre last month.

Scotland’s Festival of Light was supported by thousands of residents and visitors alike as its displays brightened up the Granite City’s dark winter evenings.

While the council will fund the event, officers have been asked to seek sponsorship and apply for other funding opportunities to offset any potential costs.

Meanwhile, £1.5m will be awarded to groups to help promote culture in the city.

This includes £961,000 to Aberdeen Performing Arts and £50,000 to Peacock Visual Arts.

The annual street art festival Nuart will get a cash boost of £88,000, while the project to reopen the beloved Belmont Cinema will benefit from £40,000.

Citymoves Dance Agency will receive £100,000 and a sum of £15,000 will go to the Aberdeen Multicultural centre for its Aberdeen Mela festival.

A further £15,000 will be presented to Four Pillars in support of its Grampian Pride event in June, and £20,000 will be awarded to the Grampian Hospital Art Trust.

And, the iconic Beach Ballroom has been secured for the foreseeable future.

Mr McLellan said the venue remains an important part of the ongoing beach masterplan.

However, he noted the “tired” building was in need of refurbishment and asked council officers to draw up an investment plan for it.

He added: “This will ensure it continues to be enjoyed for many generations to come.”

The finance chief told the chamber that £247m would be invested in Aberdeen’s education estate over the next five years.

Pupils will finally move in to the new Riverbank Primary School in Tillydrone after the summer break – a year later than initially expected.

The partnership is also “committed” to delivering a new Hazlehead Academy, with a sum of £121,410,000 to be spent constructing it over the next four years.

And, “significant” investment plans have been created to refurbish and expand Harlaw Academy, and refurbish Ferryhill School.

Just under £25m will be spent refurbishing St Peter’s RC Primary School too.

Work will be carried out to upgrade Old Aberdeen House to save pupils from making the move to Tillydrone.

Meanwhile, the council will progress with the Bucksburn Academy extension – £20.7m investment over the next four years – despite no clear plan on when it will actually be built.

Mr McLellan addressed the vital role sport plays in the wellbeing of the city’s residents and announced a number of key funding awards to ensure this continues.

Sport Aberdeen will be given £4.1m for the year ahead to help it operate its sport and leisure venues across the city.

The council will also carry out repairs to the Westburn Tennis Centre.

And, the finance chief revealed a fourth Cruyff Court will be developed in Kincorth.

It will be delivered in partnership with the Denis Law Legacy Trust and Johan Cruyff Foundation.

A sum of £750,000 will be allocated to get the facility built.

Meanwhile, £1.9m will be spent on the refurbishment of Bucksburn Pool ahead of its reopening which is expected to be later this year.

The Fairer Aberdeen Fund will be supported for the tenth year, with £1.54 million to be set aside to tackle poverty and inequality across the city.

Organisations including Cfine, Shmu and Pathways have all benefited from the fund over the last decade.

Meanwhile, £1m will be allocated to the anti-poverty and inequality committee to assist those struggling with the cost of living crisis.

Mr McLellan revealed the partnership would freeze the price of school meals to help families balance their own household budgets.

And, they pledged to give an extra £9.5m to the integration joint board.

The cash will allow the city’s health and social care partnership to continue providing essential services to those who need it.

It is currently facing an overspend for the year of just over £16.5m.

Mr McLellan said: “The IJB clearly faces immense challenges to balance its books, and that’s one that we the council share with NHS Grampian to fill any shortfall.

“Our partnership does not believe the IJB should be left with no choice but to implement huge budget cuts to care provision in the city.

“It’s simply not acceptable.”

The finance chief stated that the additional cash would help to protect mental health, counselling and housing services, as well as residential care beds.

Year-round night buses will be making a return across five key routes between Aberdeen city centre and Aberdeenshire for the next four years.

The services would run on Friday and Saturday nights to ensure revelers can get to the city centre for a night out and home safely.

Meanwhile, the X14 service to Kingswells will remain in operation at the current cost of £340,000.

It is expected to remain in place until 2029 and will be funded from bus lane fines.

On-street electric vehicle charging points will be looked at with an update on delivery to come to council by the end of the year.

Cycle hire scheme could also return until 2029 at a cost of £200,000 – to be paid for using low emission zone fines.

And, the previously shelved Berryden Corridor project is back on the table too with an aim to be delivered as soon as possible.

Finally, a number of groups across the city will be awarded money from the Common Good Fund.

Home-Start Aberdeen will get £43,000 to fill a projected shortfall to allow the vital service to continue.

It currently supports more than 200 families with young children every year.

Aberdeen Science Centre will receive £42,000 to pay the rent for its building on Constitution Street for another year.

A £20,000 sum will be awarded to the Aberdeen Street Pastors to allow the service to continue.