Council tax increase

The SNP group of councillors on the comhairle has slammed the hike in council tax.

A spokesman said: “We were disappointed that the comhairle voted to raise council tax on all bands including the poorest in our communities last month.

“It now transpires, after discussions at Thursday’s Policy and Resource committee, that councillors had not read the reports giving details on the national changes in the bands and the increase in tax for bands E-H.

"They then proceeded to further increases taxes on all island households against the SNP attempts to stop the tax rise.

SNP councillors criticise council tax increase

9 March 2017

Councillors vote for the rise to raise an extra half a million pounds.

The top four property bands were already set to increase after MSPs agreed the Scotland-wide measure in November.

That will bring in an extra £160,000 for the comhairle while a 3% hike across the board tops the sum up to £540,000.

Families living in larger houses will be hit the most with a 22.5% increase for band H properties.

Increases

Band A to D + 3%

Band E +7.5%

Band F +12.5%

Band G +17.5%

Band H +22.5%.