Tag Archives: council tax

Council retains School Meals service at six primary schools

Posted on by

School kitchens at six primary schools in Argyll were down for closure in the struggle to balance Argyll and Bute Council’s budget in these hard times.

The Schools in question, with their respective roll numbers were:

  • Glenbarr (Kintyre): 12 pupils
  • Rhunahaorine (Kintyre): 10 pupils
  • Skipness (Kintyre): 7 pupils
  • Lismore (Isle of LIsmore): 0 pupils
  • Kilchattan (Isle of Colonsay): 3 pupils
  • Lochdonhead (Isle of Mull): 9 pupils

The Council has now decided not to implement the decision. Council Leader Dick Walsh says: ‘Although the Council voted to close these six school kitchens as part of the budget process, discussions have continued to try to identify alternative ways to balance the books and retain the Council Tax at the same rate as we agreed with the Scottish Government.

‘I am pleased to say that a solution has now been found which will allow the council to retain the school meals service in all of these six schools, and we hope to achieve these savings through the course of the year.

‘I know that many parents and our staff who work in the kitchens will be relieved at the outcome, and regret the circumstances which led to this decision and to the worry and upset that this has caused’.

Scottish Government to increase funding to local authorities to peg council tax for a second year

Posted on by

John Swinney, the Scottish Government’s Finance Secretary, has told the Scottish Parliament that he is . This is given to enable them to continue this year’s freeze on council tax for a second year.

Mr Swinney said: ‘I hope all councils will agree to extend the council tax freeze for a second year to give further support to those most in need’.

The 32 councils will be given a total of £11.7billion. This is an increase of 5.1% on the 2008-2009 allocation.

The Minister said that this funding also included:

  • £40m for free personal care
  • £42m for police and fire service pensions
  • £18m towards teacher pensions
  • £12.2m for regeneration

Pat Watters, President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla), said: ‘Whilst there is no arguing that there is more actual money for next year – it is very much for specific purposes. That said, we strongly welcome Mr Swinney’s recognition of the funding pressures facing councils. We have already started discussions on these pressures and have future discussions planned’.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]