Council Tax at 1.5%
So after a tough few weeks I decided that we should keep council tax as low as possible but that 0% was a bit irresponsible. Hence 1.5%, or 33p a week.
I have tried to meet the as many of the aspirations of Edinburgh’s citizens though the truth is we can’t keep everyone happy. Our budget will keep more money in people's pockets and see more police on the streets, more money for schools, the vulnerable of all ages, creativity and the arts, roads, pavements, the environment, to support the economy, more spaces for kids to play and lots of other things that people want but I am sure that there will still be things we aren’t doing or we could do better.
Edinburgh’s Lib Dems wanted to increase council tax by 2.5%. This comes on top of the 4% hike proposed last year compared with Labour’s 2.3%. They are preparing the way for their pet Local Income Tax Scheme which would be even more costly for average taxpayers – with a couple on average wages paying over £300 a year more. In Council their leader, Cllr Jenny Dawe said “The Lib Dems are champions of the local income tax to raise more funds from local people!” which was a bit worrying!
They also wanted to increase Council house rents by 7.4%, compared with Labour’s 6%, as did the Tories
Like the Lib Dems the Tories posed a tax increase higher than Labour at 2.5%. It is clear that the grass roots simply don’t know how to react to Cameron’s leadership. There was nothing to encourage schools to go green and save energy, nothing to support jobs and the economic development of our city in the Waterfront and City Centre, and nothing beyond the current year.
It probably just goes to show how much coalition politics, though a fairer representation of views, will be a much harder way to make decisions.
I have tried to meet the as many of the aspirations of Edinburgh’s citizens though the truth is we can’t keep everyone happy. Our budget will keep more money in people's pockets and see more police on the streets, more money for schools, the vulnerable of all ages, creativity and the arts, roads, pavements, the environment, to support the economy, more spaces for kids to play and lots of other things that people want but I am sure that there will still be things we aren’t doing or we could do better.
Edinburgh’s Lib Dems wanted to increase council tax by 2.5%. This comes on top of the 4% hike proposed last year compared with Labour’s 2.3%. They are preparing the way for their pet Local Income Tax Scheme which would be even more costly for average taxpayers – with a couple on average wages paying over £300 a year more. In Council their leader, Cllr Jenny Dawe said “The Lib Dems are champions of the local income tax to raise more funds from local people!” which was a bit worrying!
They also wanted to increase Council house rents by 7.4%, compared with Labour’s 6%, as did the Tories
Like the Lib Dems the Tories posed a tax increase higher than Labour at 2.5%. It is clear that the grass roots simply don’t know how to react to Cameron’s leadership. There was nothing to encourage schools to go green and save energy, nothing to support jobs and the economic development of our city in the Waterfront and City Centre, and nothing beyond the current year.
It probably just goes to show how much coalition politics, though a fairer representation of views, will be a much harder way to make decisions.
Labels: Budget day, council tax
posted by Councillor Ewan Aitken at
12:01 pm
