Labour decide to raise council tax and social housing rent by eight per cent.
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Council tax bill - UK
Queen’s Quay. Clydebank, Scotland, UK.
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By Bill Heaney
Social housing rents and council tax will each be increased by by around 8 per cent for the new financial year following a meeting on Wednesday at West Dunbartonshire Council’s headquarters in Church Street, Dumbarton.
There were demonstrations against both the increases – more than twice the rate of inflation – and a raft of council budget cuts that accompanied them (listed in The Democrat of March 3).
One of them was to charge school pupils £5 for their lunch.
Teachers’ union members the EIS were well to the fore in the demos outside the hall despite an appalling list of defects in education listed by their rep in West Dunbartonshire.
It was announced around tea time that the teachers were balloting for a strike, which is no surprise given the state the service is in, something the First Minister Joh Swinney refused to accept on Thursday.
The Carers’ Service represented by the GMB union had been told last week that their plea to have a planned redesign of the service delayed and plans to impose cuts in their hours continued for further discussion would not be interfered with.
They were told this was because the Health and Social Care Committee of the Council had no powers to make such decisions since they had – like the council leisure services – become an “arm’s length” company formed by the SNP government.
Labour won approval to impose their cuts despite the fact that two of their councillors – Fiona Hennerby and Clare Steel – resigned at the weekend and there has been no sign of either one since.
This left their electorate in their wards without anyone to represent them at the budget, which is the most important meeting of the year.
An SNP eleventh hour move to have the council tax increased by 10%-plus was rejected.
As far as we know, all the councillors have been in place to vote through a 23% increase for themselves.
Overnight, it became clear what the SNP’s thinking was in relation to the annual budget. It was impossible to hear what was taking place for an incessant din and poor audio which made it impossible to hear in the council chamber.
Councillor Sophie Traynor – Clydebank Central – the SNP’s prospective candidate for the upcoming Scottish Parliament elections, right, is standing against Dame Jackie Baillie in the Dumbarton constituency, which includes Helensburgh and Lomond, right.
During yesterday’s budget setting meeting kit was left to Cllr William Rooney, Convenor of Corporate Services, outline that the Labour budget is “supporting communities”.
Cllr Traynor said: “Apparently the Labour administration think supporting communities is compatible with implementing a huge range of service cuts that will affect residents of all ages.”
And she liisted the cuts as follows:
• 25% reduction to the CCTV team
• Reductions to the number of apprenticeships
• Increased prices for the Out of School Care service at St Eunan’s and Linnvale PS to £22.50 per session
• Reduction of 6 full-time equivalent roles to the Working4U team
• Significant cuts to education including to teaching posts, senior phase transport, secondary school staffing and to the instrumental music service
• Closure of the Municipal Building
• Removal of weekend crematorium operations
• Reductions to the Customer Contact Centre
• Roughly 36.2 FTE job losses by 2027/28
Cllr Traynor said: “Labour have once again chosen cuts over community in their budget.
“This is a stark contrast to the SNP group who proposed a budget with no cuts to services and no redundancies. Whilst our budget did include a higher council tax rate, it would have enabled these vital services to have continued without impact.
“We have put the needs and interests of the electorate at the forefront of our decision making process which is clearly reflected in the budget that we moved. “Sadly we were outvoted.
“As Councillors, we have a duty to do everything we can to protect public services and make things easier for the communities that we represent.
West Dunbartonshire deserves better.”
The full list of Labour cuts is on The Democrat edition of March 3.
There was swift reaction from the voters, many of whom were far from happy when they read them.
Sean McFall wrote: “Who says voters “wouldn’t mind” higher council tax? I already pay about £3500 per year and get very little in return from WDC. Those who don’t mind council tax increases are likely to be on welfare so have their council tax heavily discounted or live in social housing where the tax banding is lower that might be expected. The answer to better services in WDC and other councils is to stop wasting money and get rid of highly paid managers who aren’t fit for purpose.”
Scott Brown said this was “absolute nonesense”
He added: “Those who don’t mind are likely on welfare, discounted or social housing. Many people pay similar rates to you and yes would find a financial impact but would rather save the services and jobs than save that £30 a month.
“Stop wasting money would help absolutely help, it’s not a zero sum game though. Both can be true.”
Richard O’Malley asked: “So why do elected members voted in by residents go to a budget meeting and abstain from voting?
“I do hope that those who voted for these councillors go to their surgeries and ask them why. For me they have let themselves and more importantly those who voted for them down.”
Ann McGee said earlier: “I’m sure people wouldn’t mind higher council tax and keep all the services to the elderly and disabled. We are paying higher council tax for reduced services from emptying bins to street lights. This council is a joke.”
Few could disagree with the points being made by the SNP but most people would not be able to afford the 10 per cent council tax they were asking for.
