Sunday June 29th 2025
West Lothian Civic Centre
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Stuart Sommerville
Council Tax collection rates have held up in West Lothian despite the hefty increase imposed in this year’s budget.
Councillors agreed an 8.95% rise in February, the largest rise in years after a decade of Holyrood imposed freezes.
Kenneth Ribbons, Acting Head of Finance, told the Audit Committee early indications on returns “are good”.
A paper on the council’s unaudited accounts showed that Council Tax in year collection rates for 2023/24 had been 96.7% meeting the target, and for 2024/25 had exceeded the 96.7% target to reach 96.8%.
Committee chair, Broxburn Conservative Councillor Angela Doran-Timson said: “Collection rates have been consistent. How confident are we that Council Tax collection rates will be maintained in 2025/26 if people either won’t pay or can’t afford to pay?
“Are there controls and measures in place to monitor this?”
Mr Ribbons replied: ”Clearly there is a risk. However I can confirm based on early indications for 25/26 that these indications are quite good. For example, in-year Council Tax collection rates so far are holding up and are equivalent to rates last year.”
He added: “Direct debit take-ups have slightly increased and the number of summary warrants issued so far has been slightly down so the signs are encouraging in terms of the collection rate, but clearly that will need to continue to be monitored in the light of the Council tax increase passed at the last budget.
“In terms of controls more detailed monitoring procedures have been put in place within the revenues unit so there are effective and robust controls over the monitoring of collection.”
Councillor Doran-Timson responded: “So the Council Tax is looking healthy.”
It had been suggested pre-budget that the council would push for an increase of 5.8% – a rise which it had intended for the year before when a surprise freeze was imposed by the then First Minister Humza Yousaf.
The 8.95% increase agreed was slightly lower than many agreed in neighbouring councils.
Freed from years of Holyrood imposed freezes almost every council in Scotland went for big increases. Neighbouring Falkirk imposed the highest- 15%. Another neighbour authority, South Lanarkshire, opted for only a 6% increase- one of the lowest in Scotland.
In West Lothian the rise means that the average Band D taxpayer has to find an extra £125 a year. Services charges also increase across the board.
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