Proposals to increase a number of charges by an additional 1% are being considered in a bid to prevent further cuts to services

A standard uplift of 4.5% was agreed last year and proposals to increase charges by an additional 1% would generate much needed income of nearly £300,000 over the next two years. All income generated is used to pay for the services provided and would help to protect further cuts to local services. All councils have charges in place.

Patrick Welsh, the council's Head of Finance and Property services said: "Similar to any household, the costs of providing services increases. Products such as energy, food and pay has increased so a standard uplift is not unusual to help cover the increase in costs of providing the services. By increasing charges for a number of services, more income is generated and used to protect local services.

"The alternative is to cut services and reduce staff numbers and we are exploring every avenue to avoid those options."

The proposals are part of a report to the council's Corporate Policy and Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel which confirms that the council faces a worsening budget position due to Scottish Government grant funding not being sufficient to meet increasing costs and demands for services. The council estimate a revenue budget gap of £38.2 million over the next four years.

The council charges for a number of services to help recover some of the cost of providing the services. For example, cemetery charges, residential care homes, pest control, school meals, community alarms and telecare and use of council owned facilities such as Burgh Halls.  

Charges do not recover the cost of providing the services but they do contribute towards the cost. Many charges in West Lothian are currently below the national average.

For example, the council currently has the 8^th lowest charge across 32 councils for the cost of a burial lair and interment and is significantly below the national average. The proposed increase of 12.5% over each of the next two years will bring West Lothian in line with the national average. However, the charges will continue to be subsided and the charges do not pay for the provision of the entire service. Assistance for low income families is in place and these families will not be impacted by the increase in charges.

Planned increases to charges for telecare and community alarms, and residential care homes will also bring West Lothian in line with other councils.

The proposals are part of a report to the council's Corporate Policy and Resources Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel (Tuesday 30 January). It is intended to present these potential additional recurring budget savings to the Council for approval in February 2024 as part of the budget report

To read the full report click here:

https://coins.westlothian.gov.uk/coins/submissiondocuments.asp?submissionid=57227