East Lothian first to confirm 10% council tax hike

East Lothian Council has become the first Scottish local authority to confirm a double-digit council tax increase.

A nationwide freeze on the levy is being lifted in April.

East Lothian Council said a 10% rise was needed to maintain essential services and protect vulnerable residents.

Councillors in the Scottish Borders last week agreed a draft plan with a 10% increase, saying they had no choice but to hike rates.

The Labour-led East Lothian Council agreed that tax hike as part of its budget for 2025-26.

Councillors said they were facing financial pressures due to the local authority's growing population, increasing demand for services and pressure from government to deliver nationwide policies.

Council leader Norman Hampshire said: "East Lothian's growth continues to put pressure on all parts of the council.

"It is vital that we can sustain essential services to protect our most vulnerable residents and invest in education to give all children the best start in life."

As well as the tax rise, rents for council tenants will increase by 6.5%, an average of £5.25 a week.

The budget included £8.9m of cuts over the next five years, with a commitment to finding further savings to close a funding gap.

Councillors also agreed to invest more than £200m in infrastructure over the next five years, £1m in modernising council houses and a £7.5m increase for the body the oversees adult health and social care services.

It is up to individual local authorities to set council tax rates, though they have been frozen or capped for much of the past 20 years.

The Scottish government subsidised a freeze in 2024-25, though this ends in April.

Several cash-strapped councils have already indicated that sizeable increases could be on the way.

Councillors in the Scottish Borders say a proposed 10% hike is to protect essential services.

East Lothian, Fife and Shetland councils have also considered increases of up to 10%, while Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Ayrshire are reportedly looking at 8%.

The Scottish government has said its Budget for 2025-26, including an extra £1bn for local authorities, should negate the need for large council tax rises.

Ministers are also hoping to cover 60% of the costs of the UK government's decision to increase employers' National Insurance contributions.

Councils say the extra Holyrood funding still leaves them about £100m short, with "difficult decisions" to be made on how to cover the funding gap.