As you are aware East Ayrshire Council set it's Council Tax today for 2024/25.
I am pleased to have joined all the other 31 Councillors in East Ayrshire, to have agreed and set a consensus Budget that will:
Freeze the Council Tax this Year for all Bands.
Freeze the Brown Garden Bin Permit Charge.
Continue Half Price School Meals til June 2025.
Provide extra Funds for Road and Pavement Repairs and Works.
Provide a Clothing grant of £50 for 3-4 year olds in ECC's, whose circumstances meet the relevant criteria, from August 2024.
We all know that Local Government Funding from the Scottish Government has year on year been cut in real terms as they prioritise their budgets in other areas rather than in Local Government, treating Councils with complete disdain.
The way that the SNP Government in Holyrood have behaved this year with our Funding Grants, virtually ripping up the Verity House agreement is absolutely disgraceful, there has never been a bigger case for Council Tax Reform.
The current situation is dire and depressing and the savings East Ayrshire has had to make will mean that yet again our Council services will continue to struggle to provide for our Towns, Villages and Communities.
The Conservative Group and I welcome the freeze in Council Tax and the extra measures that we have been able to make, all of which will help all our hard pressed families across East Ayrshire by not adding further costs on to extremely stretched household budgets.
This freeze shows that all Councillors in East Ayrshire are trying to help and support our Communities during this continued difficult time and Cost of Living Crisis.