East Renfrewshire to increase council tax by almost 5%

Council tax in East Renfrewshire is to increase by 4.84% from April.

The local authority's councillors voted for the maximum allowable increase as it finalised its 2020/21 budget.

Council leader Tony Buchanan said the budget process had been "extremely challenging" as the local authority was facing a shortfall of £18m.

A £209m plan to build new nurseries, council houses and leisure facilities over the next 10 years was also approved.

Mr Buchanan said "tough decisions" had to be made in order to balance the books.

He said: "The decision to increase council tax has not been taken lightly as we know it will put an extra burden on residents.

"But, without generating this additional income, there would have to be further reductions in funding to our schools [and] public infrastructure such as roads and recycling services."

The budget shortfall will be met from savings, the use of £3.5m reserves and an extra £2.7m generated by the council tax increase.

New homes and leisure facilities

Spending plans approved by East Renfrewshire Council include:

• £24.9m on six new nurseries nearing completion across East Renfrewshire

• £30m for a new leisure and learning campus in Neilston, with work due to start next year

• £26m for improved new leisure facilities in Eastwood Park

• 30 roads resurfaced in first year of a £15m programme of improvements

Councils across Scotland have the power to raise council tax by up to 4.84% this year.

The budget for East Renfrewshire was set after local government body Cosla warned Scottish councils need an extra £300m of funding just to "stand still".