BY Bill Heaney
A motion by the rainbow alliance led by SNP councillor Jim Lynch – SNP, Liberal Democrat, Labour, Green and independent councillors – was passed at the budget-setting meeting yesterday.
The Argyll and the Islands Group (TALIG), consisting of Conservative and some other independent councillors, submitted the only amendment, which was defeated by 22 votes to ten.
It proposed a five per cent council tax increase.
Helensburgh Tory councillor Gary Mulvaney was shocked when the SNP coalition leader moved a figure almost double that – and won.
Argyll and Bute council leader Jim Lynch and Helensburgh Conservative Gary MUlvaney.
Cllr Mulvaney said: “We have just heard that after 12 years of preparation, challenges and straining to get into power, the headline of this is a shocking council tax increase that will have residents choking on their porridge in the morning.
“This is no ruse to get more money out of the Scottish Government; this is as real as it gets.
“Our group says that we do not accept the consensus. We believe there is another way and that council tax can be increased by five per cent – no higher.
“Our budget is a balanced and well-structured one and one I commend.”
The decision means that a property in band D will now be subject to an annual council tax bill of £1,625.
Cllr Lynch backed the 9.9 rise by promising an additional £8 million to support the area’s roads network.
There is also an additional £2.9m for severe weather related costs – such as those that will be incurred to repair the storm damage at the leisure centre on Helensburgh Pier – and an additional £1.2m to the area’s health and social care partnership (HSCP).
The meeting was the first budget-setting meeting held by the council since the ruling group gained control in April 2024.
“We have faced up to those, and the question that has been foremost in our minds was that if we make tough decisions, what can we give back to local people?
“We have heard that roads are one of the most important priorities, and that is why we have increased the roads budget to £10m.
“We also hear from people how much they value health and social care. We also recognise that the HSCP must cope with challenges in rural and island areas.
“That is why we are providing an additional £1.2m to support the HSCP. This will help it to maintain services during financial challenges.”
He added: “We have taken the difficult decision of raising council tax by 9.9 per cent. This was taken with much thought and after a lot of soul searching.
“But we have kept in mind how we are able to give back to communities. Seventy per cent of respondents [to the council’s budget survey] said they agreed or would consider agreeing to pay more for services that matter to them.
“We have kept council tax below 10 per cent [increase], unlike others who are making cuts.”
A roll call vote saw the administration budget proposal win by 22 votes to the 10 who supported Cllr Mulaney’s motion.
Councillors Jennifer Kelly and Tommy MacPherson (both Independent, South Kintyre) attended the meeting but abstained from voting.
As the Telegraph reported this week all of the gold plated local authority final salary pensions that sadly very few other get have to be paid for.
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That together with generous holiday and sick pay for up to a year make it essential the rate payers stump up for these swingeing domestic rate increases.