Orkney council’s budget for 2023/24 – including its eye-watering 10% rise in council tax – has been officially ratified by full council.
Council leader James Stockan put the blame for the tax hike on the settlement the council receives from the Scottish Government.
He said the council would show the government “the pain” the local authority was having to put its communities through.
There was no dissent from the council’s 21 elected members, as they unanimously passed the budget.
This may come as no surprise given the united message from councillors on the council’s Policy and Resources committee at the end of last month.
2023/2024 budget is ‘protective’
Orkney council has said the 2023/24 budget is “protective” as the council hopes to generate £11.3 million from council tax while also making its biggest-ever draw from its reserves, at £17.4 million.
The local authority is hoping that this will stop major cuts to its services, at least for this year.
The year after may be a different story, if the sentiment from councillors and officers is to be believed.
In comparison, Scotland’s other islands authorities are imposing half as steep a hike, or less, as Orkney council.
Shetland Island Council is to raise their bills by 4.5%. Meanwhile, the Western Isles council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is to raise their council tax by 5%.
While the council tax rise in Orkney is alarming, the council has been keen to remind the public that even after the hike, Orcadians’ bills will still remain below the Scottish average.
As of April, a Band D propert in Orkney will be set at £1,369.21 a year.
This means an increase of £124.48, or just over £10 a month, from last year.
‘No other place in Scotland has raised their council tax by such a great percentage’ says Orkney council leader
Mr Stockan said: “I would like to thank the members around this chamber for unanimous support for a budget which has been very challenging for our community.
“It’s significantly challenging for this council also, as we move forward.
“No other place in Scotland has raised their council tax by such a great percentage as we have this time.
“We know we want to preserve as many of the good services that we deliver as we can.
“While at the same time, we need to call on the government to give us a fairer settlement in relation to what the other island authorities get.”
Around this time last year – during last year’s budget-setting process – Orkney’s council leader called the settlement from the Scottish Government “scandalous.”
According to the isles council’s calculations from last year, Shetland received £8million more in its settlement.
This is despite Orkney’s neighbours to the north having only 450 less of population.
Speaking to councillors today, Mr Stockan added: “We get significantly less than them.
“If we were getting similar amounts of finance coming in year-on-year from the government as the other island authorities, we wouldn’t have had to push so hard on our own community.
“We know living in Orkney is more challenging than many parts with its rurality and remoteness.
‘We will push the government’
“That’s why, historically, council tax rates were lower than in other parts of the country.
“But we are not able to keep that in the same place as we would like to if we don’t get fairness.
“We will push the government, trying to address this situation with them seeing the pain we are putting our community through.”
This sentiment was backed by the council’s depute leader Heather Woodbridge.
Council convener Graham Bevan also said: “We all share that sentiment that the leader has just highlighted to us.
“This has been a very important and not an easy decision to make.
“But, ultimately, we believe in the best interests of Orkney now and going forward.”
Conversation