Chamber and committees

No. Local authorities were issued with indicative expenditure guidelines this year. Most authorities have exercised their own discretion sensibly. Eight authorities have set budgets in excess of the guidelines, but in the case of five authorities only by a small amount. The other three authorities - Aberdeenshire, East Dunbartonshire and Perth and Kinross - have made larger increases. I met these councils with the Secretary of State for Scotland to discuss why they have made such large increases. The Secretary of State subsequently announced in the House of Commons that the authorities would not be capped, but at the meeting we did put them on warning that we will expect them to return to guideline next year. I have also asked each council to submit to me an action plan detailing what measures they intend to take to ensure that they do return to guideline next year, and they agreed to do so before the end of July.