Title

FINANCE

Union demands end to council tax freeze

GMB Scotland has demanded an end to the eight-year freeze on council tax.

GMB Scotland has demanded an end to the eight-year freeze on council tax.

The union, which will hold a protest outside the Scottish parliament next week, argues the council tax freeze erodes the tax base, leading to cuts to jobs and services in Scotland's least affluent areas.

GMB's action is a response to a new report showing that had council tax kept pace with inflation of 25.61% since 2007 the 32 local authorities in Scotland would be raising £484m in additional income in 2016/17.

The protests will coincide with the final reading of the Scottish Budget in Edinburgh and takes place at a time when Scotland's local authorities face severe cuts and job losses.

Gary Smith, secretary of GMB Scotland, told ministers to ‘take their heads out of the sand' when it comes to the impact of cuts.

He continued: ‘This erosion of the tax base only applies in Scotland and can only be remedied in Scotland. 

‘It is not right that wealthy Scottish households pay less council tax in real terms than eight years ago, leading to cuts to jobs and services in Scotland's least affluent areas.'

FINANCE

Councils must be empowered to set all fees and charges

By Ian Miller | 02 April 2026

Ian Miller says it’s time to end the centralism where fees and charges 'are set by Whitehall, don’t take account of councils’ costs and are infrequently upda...

FINANCE

Toil, then trouble on LGR

By Martin Ford | 02 April 2026

The Government has announced its decisions on new unitaries in four of the Devolution Priority Programme areas. But Essex CC is threatening legal action, cou...

FINANCE

How to reap the diversity dividend

By Simon Fanshawe | 01 April 2026

Diversity policies must drop performative gestures and provide evidence of change to the lives of staff and residents if they are to be supported by local pe...

FINANCE

Council tax goes up by £10bn in five years

By Paul Marinko | 25 March 2026

England’s council tax bill has gone up by more than £10bn in five years, new government data has revealed.

Popular articles by William Eichler