Falkirk Council SNP Group – Press Statement

SNP Welcome Historic Deal To Freeze Council Tax

Local SNP Councillors have welcomed the package of financial grants to Falkirk Council that should see Council Tax frozen for the forthcoming financial year.

No increases in Council was a key manifesto commitment by the SNP in May’s elections but the arrival of a joint Labour / Conservative Administration within Falkirk Council raised fears that the freeze may not happen. However, a £1.83m financial carrot should ensure that current council leaders will deliver the SNP commitment to freeze the tax rate.

On 13 December the government announced a 6.4% increase of funding for Falkirk Council as well as an additional £1.83m if the council agrees to freeze its Council Tax at current levels.

The SNP have pointed to the fact that the Scottish Government received only a 0.5% increase from Westminster and so Falkirk Council has received a very generous settlement from the Scottish Government.

Said Councillor Tom Coleman, Depute SNP Group Leader,

“The Labour / Conservative leaders of Falkirk Council must have thought that their birthday and Christmas had come together when the news of the financial settlement was announced by John Swinney.

This means that unless there is gross financial mismanagement by the Administration we should expect not only a freeze on the Council Tax bills but a growth in essential services.

For the first time since devolution the share of local government expenditure has not been cut but has increased. That is good news for local people and is testimony to the SNP’s commitment to ease the pressure on hard hit taxpayers.

As opposition members we will be working to ensure that the increased resources are not squandered but invested in areas where they will benefit those most in need throughout Falkirk district.”