North Lanarkshire Council’s finance convener insisted there will be no cuts to services in this year’s budget for the first time in 15 years – but also confirmed a 10 per cent council tax rise.
North Lanarkshire’s elected members will balance the books of their £1 billion budget for the new financial year at a meeting this Thursday.
Councillor Andrew Duffy-Lawson acknowledged the council tax rise could alarm some residents.
But in an exclusive interview with Lanarkshire Live ahead of the council’s Budget day on Thursday, Councillor Duffy-Lawson insisted the local authority have ambitious plans for improvements to services in the next 12 months.
These include the development of three new community hubs but also significantly investing in a significant number of schools and leisure facilities.
He said: “There will be no reduction to frontline services and no staff redundancies and that is only possible because of the significant funding increase from the UK Government.
“This is the first ‘no cuts’ North Lanarkshire Council budget since 2009/10. It’s not a coincidence that budget was when Labour was last in power at Westminster.
“The Scottish Government received a significant funding increase of 10.6 per cent but only chose to increase the local government settlement by 2.6 per cent.
“That is an extra £19 million to the council. However, our budget has been cut in real terms over the past decade by over £250 million.
“I want to be honest with people. A 10 per cent rise sounds like a lot. There is no getting away from that.
“But that rise works out at an extra £1.69 per week for those living in a Band A property; £1.97 per week for those in Band B; £2.25 per week in Band C and £2.53 per week in Band D.
“With council tax being frozen for so many years, the council’s costs continued to rise.
“But I will state again this is a ‘no cuts’ budget for the first time in over a decade and I am hopeful all parties will support that.”
Currently, North Lanarkshire has one of the lowest levels of council tax in the country.
However, it is set to follow other councils across Scotland in upping council tax bills.
Among the proposals in this year’s budget are new community hubs in Ravenscraig, Glenboig and the Abronhill area of Cumbernauld.
Councillor Duffy-Lawson added: “With the council money we will be putting two per cent into our Community Investment Fund instead of one per cent
“What that means is that we will be spending more in our capital spending.
“We are really excited with our new community hubs planned for Ravenscraig, Glenboig and Abronhill.
“We have already seen the benefit of the new community hub in Newmains and work is already starting on the hub at Orbiston.
“Services are being improved for these communities.”
Opposition parties will also have the chance to present their Budget proposals at the council’s headquarters this week.
Council tax was frozen nationally for the current financial year following a surprise announcement by then-First Minister Humza Yousaf.
North Lanarkshire raised the cost by five per cent in 2023, the largest rises after four increases in the five years since the end of a long-term national freeze.
The Scottish Government last week announced £144m for councils to offset rises in employer national insurance rises,
In a recent interview, First Minister John Swinney said his Scottish Government’s draft budget meant big rises are not needed.
Asked if 10 per cent is too high, he said: “I think it is, yes.”
He added: “I don’t think that’s necessary, to be honest.”
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