Aberdeenshire Council Tax Increase
Council tax in Aberdeenshire is set to rise by 10% following approval of the 2026/27 budget at a council meeting. The budget includes £9 million in savings measures.
For a Band D property within the local authority area, this increase translates to an additional £153 annually due to the double-digit rise.
Budget Savings and Opposition
Among the agreed savings are reductions in school grounds maintenance. During the meeting, Council co-leader and Liberal Democrat Anne Stirling acknowledged the challenges involved in balancing various demands.
"It was hard to balance competing demands," said Anne Stirling.
The SNP-led opposition had proposed a smaller council tax increase of 8.5%. It is notable that council tax had already increased by 10% in the previous year.
Regional Council Tax Changes
On the same day, councillors in Moray also approved a 10% council tax increase. Meanwhile, Shetland Council decided on a 7.3% rise, and Aberdeen is recommending an 8.13% increase.
Scottish Government Funding
Last month, the Scottish government announced that its Budget provides record funding of nearly £15.7 billion for local authorities, representing a 2% real-terms increase.
