Moray SNP News

CAMPAIGNERS PRESENT COUNCIL TAX PETITION TO MORAY COUNCIL

‘Over a thousand signatures in a week demonstrates strength of feeling’

Campaigners have presented their petition opposing Moray Council’s planned 18% Council Tax rise and calling for the Council Tax Freeze to continue.

SNP campaigners launched the petition last week in Elgin High Street and have since gathered signatures round doors and online, with over 1,100 people signing the petition in just a week.

The petition was presented by campaigners Jo-Ann DeSykes and James O’Connor who have both been collecting signatures.

Jo-Ann De Sykes said:

“People were queueing up on Elgin High Street to sign the petition and it has been just as easy getting support round the doors and online. Over a thousand signatures in just a week clearly demonstrates the strength of feeling on the issue.

“Residents across Moray have been stunned by the proposal for an 18% rise by the Tory/Independent Council Administration and believe that the Council’s Administration have not done enough to identify savings elsewhere.

“The Council Tax Freeze has given people welcome relief at a difficult financial time saving the average household over £1,500 in tax, supported by hundreds of millions in funding to Councils to keep it in place.”

The SNP’s Opposition Leader in the Council, Cllr Gary Coull, said:

“The SNP Opposition Councillors are absolutely clear that we will not be backing a Council Tax rise. We are continuing to work towards alternative proposals ahead of the budget meeting in February and we have several meetings to consider a range of options ahead of that.

“This week Edinburgh City Council has managed to set a budget without a Council Tax Rise and you have to ask if Moray Council’s Tory/Independent Administration are so bereft of ideas having had months to prepare that this all they can come up with.

“This is nothing more than a knee-jerk reaction from Tories and Independents while there are still negotiations going on between the Scottish Government and councils. Instead they seem intent on getting Moray headlines for all the wrong reasons.

“From our own work on the budget we believe there are alternatives and we will make them clear ahead of the Council’s budget day.”