Will Orkney Islands hike council tax by 15%?

Councillors in Orkney are poised to vote through a 15% rise in council tax.

It would be the biggest increase in the levy in Scotland, as councils across the country opt for the largest rises in decades.

A nationwide freeze on the levy ends in April meaning local authorities can increase it by however much they like.

Last week, councillors at a special meeting in Orkney discussed how big a rise they should propose.

The elected members discussed the local authority’s long-term financial strategy which included the aim to bring the Islands’ council tax in line with the Scottish average.

A survey conducted ahead of this year’s council tax decision showed 47% of respondents were in favour of higher council tax increases to protect community services.

Last year, the local authority said it would need to increase council tax by 10%.

But the levy was frozen after receiving additional funding from the Scottish Government at the last minute.

A meeting of the full council will convene on Tuesday to debate and vote on the proposal for a 15% rise.

Politics

Is your council tax going up and by how much?

A nationwide freeze on the levy ends in April meaning local authorities can increase it by however much they like.

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