Council tax to rocket by nearly 5% in Glasgow and Edinburgh

Council tax rates are set to rocket by almost 5% in Scotland’s two biggest cities.

Local authorities in Glasgow and Edinburgh agreed their budgets on Thursday, with the Scottish capital to raise council tax by the maximum 4.8% allowed by the Scottish Government.

Meanwhile, Glasgow City Council will increase rates to 4.64% after the SNP minority administration struck a deal with Green councillors.

In Edinburgh, the SNP-Labour coalition is seeking to make savings of £88m, while Glasgow councillors agreed to £42m of cuts.

The effect of the rate increase would mean, in Edinburgh, paying around £83 a year more in council tax a year for a Band D property.

In Glasgow, the same band will cost around £82 extra annually in council tax.

Both cities generally charge council tax in ten monthly instalments from April to January, meaning monthly bills for Band D residents will rise by more than £8.

This morning, protesters gathered outside the Edinburgh City Council ahead of the anticipated cutbacks, with hits to funding ultimately agreed for education, health and social care services.

Over the next three years, more than £9m will be stripped from adult health and social care services, while replacing swathes of nursery teachers with early years practitioners is expected to save £900,000.

Funding for community policing will be pulled, saving an estimated £2.1m, and free music tuition will be “reassessed” with the potential for a £500,000 saving.

In Glasgow, the city’s public golf courses have also been earmarked for change with plans to remodel how the facilities are run, intending to save around £750,000.

Glasgow could also introduce a charge for bulk uplift, which has previously been free.

And the Blairvadach centre in Helensburgh, where many Glasgow school pupils have been able to experience outdoor activities, will close.