Council tax hike as leader slams funding

Council tax will rise by six per cent in East Renfrewshire from April as plans to cover an £8.7 million budget shortfall were agreed.

- DREW SANDELANDS, LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTER

A decision to lift the tax, make £3.2m of savings and take just over £1m from reserves was approved on Wednesday.

East Renfrewshire Council's budget for 2026/27 also includes investment in improving community transport and a homework club to support children and lone parents. It was agreed by all political parties.

Over £1.3m will be saved through reduced utility prices and lower consumption in the education and environment estate, such as schools, while a £400,000 saving is expected to be made from reduced demand for, and investment in, temporary homeless accommodation.

Council leader Owen O'Donnell (Labour) said the settlement for local authorities from the Scottish Government had been "very poor".

He said: "I had hoped this budget would be full of optimism for the future but we are back to planning for austerity, when demands for public services are increasing.

"What is worse, expectations for the next two years are real-term cuts at a time of rising demand. Let's be clear, this is an active political choice of the Scottish Government to deprioritise local government funding."

Adult social care services in East Renfrewshire are facing an £8.6m cut after the national formula for determining how councils receive funding for social care was changed.

Councillor O'Donnell said this cut had "fundamentally changed the landscape".