Moray Council Tax bills frozen
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COUNCIL tax bills in Moray will be frozen again in 2012 - for the fifth year in a row.
The unanimous decision was made by councillors this week ahead of the £200 million budget setting in February.
The council risked losing £1.1 million in Scottish Government funding if it did not agree to peg council tax figures again - one of three commitments demanded of local authorities by Finance Secretary John Swinney.
At a special meeting of the full council on Tuesday, elected members agreed to meet the Scottish Government commitments for 2012-13.
The council will get just under £160 million from the government in grant funding, but in a letter to the authority, Mr Swinney confirmed there was a £1.1 million "hold back" figure if the council did not meet all the commitments.
The other two commitments are:
•maintain teacher numbers in line with pupil numbers and secure places for all probationers.
•pass on their full share of funding to police boards.
Depute convener Allan Wright moved that the council take a decision now to freeze council tax, which will peg the cost to Band D properties at £1,135 a year.
"I am sure this will bring a measure of Christmas cheer for the people of Moray," he said.
The move was was not opposed by SNP or Labour councillors, although Labour leader John Divers added: "If we don’t follow that line we will have money taken away from us, so there is not an option."
Moray Council will generate just over £37 million from Council Tax revenue.
The council tax freeze was welcomed by Moray MSP Richard Lochhead, who said: "I hope that other councils in Scotland will follow Moray’s lead on this."
Read the full story in 'The Northern Scot'.
