15 December 2006
Scottish councils are to receive extra revenue funding of £393m in 2007/08 — an increase of 4.7% on last year, Finance Minister Tom McCabe has announced.
Giving details of the annual local government settlement on December 13, he said total revenue funding would amount to £8.7bn.
While McCabe avoided forecasting the impact on next year's council tax, it is expected that the extra support will keep increases to a minimum when the figures are announced just weeks before the elections for the Scottish Parliament and local government in May 2007.
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities vice-president Corrie McChord said the extra funding was more than expected. 'The minister has been true to his word by looking at what would have been a difficult year for councils,' he added.
McCabe said that, in total, councils would be receiving more than £250m of additional benefits. These are over and above the planned figure for 2007/08 and include £140m in revenue support for core services and £61m for capital.
'The executive has kept its promise to look again at funding for 2007/08,' McCabe said.
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