Council tax rise of 10% recommended in Aberdeen

A council tax rise of 10% is being recommended in Aberdeen.

Members of Aberdeen City Council will meet to set their annual budget next week, with savings options worth £43m being put to councillors.

Officials said the council could not continue to rely on grants and using up its reserves to balance the books.

The recommended 10% increase in council tax would see a Band D property paying £1,560.48, up from £1,418.62, from 1 April - a rise of £141.86.

The 10% recommendation comes after councillors in Orkney approved the same percentage rise on Thursday.

Officials in Aberdeen have laid out the financial position facing the authority ahead of Wednesday's budget meeting.

Dozens of potential savings options have been highlighted.

They include £6m from voluntary redundancies.

Other options include reviewing the provision of libraries and putting up fees charged by the council.

Councillors have been urged to pledge their support for a music project in one of Aberdeen's more deprived areas, after funding for its sister programme in Dundee was axed.

Big Noise Torry was launched in 2015 and costs up to £1m a year, with about 75% paid by the local authority.

The charity which runs it, Sistema Scotland, said it supports more than 750 young people in the city and helps build their confidence.

Councillors in Dundee decided on Thursday to stop funding the project there.

Aberdeen City Council said in a statement: "Finalised budget options drawn up by officers will be published on the council's website.

"Councillors will meet on March 1 to set a budget for 2023/24. It would not be appropriate to comment in advance of this."

Aberdeenshire councillors voted for a 4% increase in council tax earlier this month - the first of Scotland's 32 councils to agree on a figure.