BBC News Online
Council tax levels have helped push up household running costs in Scotland to above the UK average, according to figures.
A Bank of Scotland review has found that it costs an average of £5,714 to run a house in Scotland, compared to a UK average of £5,666.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 10:25 pm
BBC News Online
An independent review of the council tax system has been announced by Finance Minister Andy Kerr.
Mr Kerr said that the review would be the most wide-ranging ever undertaken, with no option left unexplored.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 6:54 pm
BBC News Online
People are being urged to give their views over the next four months on the Scottish Socialist Party's alternative to the council tax.
The SSP wants to replace it with an income-based Service Tax, which the party says would see many low-income households saving up to £30 a week.
Party leader Tommy Sheridan launched a consultation document on Thursday.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 6:55 pm
BBC News Online
The Scottish Socialist Party has predicted "the beginning of the end" for the council tax.
Hundreds of people attended a march and rally in Glasgow to protest against the tax in Scotland.
Party leader Tommy Sheridan said people were angry having to pay a tax which "hammers pensioners and ordinary workers".
The party has proposed that the council tax be replaced by an alternative service tax based solely upon income.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 8:09 pm
BBC News Online
Elderly groups from across Scotland have been putting more pressure on MSPs to reform or abolish council tax.
A petition demanding action was handed in to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday morning.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 9:08 am
BBC News Online
Calls for the abolition of the council tax have failed to win the backing of the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish Socialist Party leader Tommy Sheridan said MSPs should reflect public opinion as he led a debate on the issue at Holyrood on Thursday.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 7:13 pm
Edinburgh Evening News
A BID by the Scottish Socialist Party to win support for a call to dump the council tax has been heavily defeated in the Scottish Parliament.
Tommy Sheridan’s party had hoped for backing from other parties in its demand for the tax to be scrapped and replaced with an income-based alternative.
But MSPs last night voted by 88 votes to 33 for an Executive amendment which said an independent review of local government finance should be asked to examine different methods of local taxation, including local income tax.
The vote came after a fiery debate in which Labour MSP Christine May called the SSP leader "despicable", a remark she immediately withdrew at the prompting of the deputy presiding officer, Murray Tosh.
Mr Sheridan claimed MSPs opposed his party’s proposed "Scottish Service Tax" - an income-based replacement for the council tax - as they would pay an average of £3000 under his blueprint. He told Liberal Democrat deputy finance minister Tavish Scott: "You, minister, will pay significantly more because you can afford to pay more."
Council tax and its possible replacement also dominated First Minister’s Questions, where SNP leader John Swinney accused Jack McConnell of prejudicing the Executive’s promised independent review of local government finance by rubbishing the SNP’s own proposals for a local income tax.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 7:05 pm
BBC news Online
More pressure to axe council tax
MSPs have been urged to support calls for the abolition of the council tax.
Scottish Socialist Party MSPs, like the Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrats, want the charge replaced with an income-based alternative.
SSP leader Tommy Sheridan claimed that the most recent opinion poll showed 77% of Scots were in favour of abolishing the charge.
Mr Sheridan led a debate on the tax at Holyrood on Thursday and said MSPs should reflect public opinion.
He urged all parties opposed to the charge to vote with the Socialists.
posted by Eddie Truman @ 2:44 pm
A collection of the latest news cuttings on the council tax
