Council tax to increase by 5% in Glasgow
- Published
Glasgow City Council has approved its budget
Glasgow City Council has raised council tax by 5% for the next year.
The 2023/24 charge was set by councillors as they voted to pass the city's budget. This means a Band D household will now pay £1,499.
A number of measures were approved in a bid to fill a £49m funding gap. Parking charges and fines will be increased and permit charges are to be introduced for garden and food waste.
The council will also take £6m from its reserves.
The council said there would be no compulsory redundancies.
However, £31.3m still needs to be found through savings and increased charges.
There will be £3m raised through increased parking and bus lane fines and £2m is expected to be brought in through the introduction of charges for brown bin (garden and food waste) permits.
The council said on-street parking fees would rise "in line with Edinburgh levels", there will be a cost increase for multiple residential parking permits and almost £1m saved through a review of cleansing services resources.
Opening hours will be reduced at Tramway and the Mitchell Library as well as swimming pools, while hire charges will be rolled out at peak times at outdoor tennis venues.
Parking charges will go up to "Edinburgh levels"
Opposition councillors walked out of Glasgow City Chambers while SNP councillors passed the budget.
The city's SNP treasurer, Ricky Bell, said the budget was "deeply imperfect" but was required in "the most turbulent economic and financial context most people can remember".
He criticised opposition groups, who didn't present alternative proposals, saying the SNP did not "have the luxury of throwing our hands up and walking away".
Labour councillors did not attend the meeting, instead gathering with protesters and trade unions outside the city chambers.
The Greens and Conservatives both left after making their speeches.
'Funding withheld'
Earlier in February, Scottish Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville warned councils against any reduction to teaching posts or the length of the school week.
It followed reports of leaked internal documents from Glasgow City Council which suggested a cut to teacher numbers.
Ms Somerville said that Scottish government funding would be withheld from councils not maintaining the current number of teachers and pupil support staff. New regulations would also stop local authorities cutting the number of school hours to save cash.
Cllr Bell said: "This is not the budget any of us would wish to deliver. But it is one which has gone a considerable distance to protect and maintain those services upon which our communities depend."
He said there would be no compulsory redundancies, teacher numbers would be protected and increased charges were "preferable to slashing services".