INVERCLYDE Council has agreed its spending plans and council tax rates for the next two years.
At a special meeting last night, the local authority agreed to raise council tax by 8.2 per cent in 24/25 and six per cent in 25/26.
The decision to increase council tax by 8.2 per cent in 24/25 means the Band D level will increase £117.24 to £1,547.01 – or an extra £2.25 a week.
Employability services, the council’s Community Grants Fund and transport to Bluebird Family Centre and Glenbrae Children’s Centre are facing reductions in the future as part of a £449,000 package of savings measures.
The overall budget is worth almost £250m each year and a four-year £72m capital budget to fund one-off infrastructure costs was also agreed at the meeting.
It was also agreed at the meeting to provide an extra £5.558m for social care services, a year-on-year increase of 8.2 per cent.
The council will also continue to fund universal free school meals for all primary school pupils – the only local authority in Scotland to do so, and to provide free swimming during holiday periods and grants to many youth organisations and sports clubs.
A full table showing the impact of an 8.2 per cent increase can be found below.
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