2021/22 COUNCIL TAX & SPENDING

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BUDGET HEADLINES COUNCIL TAX WATER CHARGES BUSINESS RATES

BENEFITS & REDUCTIONS SCOTTISH WELFARE FUND REGISTER TO VOTE

1 Contents

About your council 3 The council budget 4 How the budget is spent 5 Our challenges 6 Doing things differently 7 Council Tax 8-9 Water and waste water service charges 10-12 Business Rates 13 Council Tax Reduction 14 Help with your housing costs 14 Scottish Welfare Fund 15

For more information about the East Council council visit www.eastlothian.gov.uk John Muir House, Brewery Park or call 01620 827827 Haddington, EH41 3HA

2 About your council

East Lothian Council provides the county’s 104,000 residents with a wide range of services including education, adult and children’s wellbeing, planning, economic development, roads, housing, transportation, environmental health, refuse collection, street cleaning, recycling, food safety, trading standards, community development, sports, recreation, parks and countryside, libraries, museums, registration of births, deaths and marriages and burial grounds.

Around 4,842 (3750 full-time equivalent) people work for the council. There are 22 elected councillors: 9 7 Scottish Conservative 6 Key strategic and policy decisions are taken by a cabinet of six Scottish Labour Councillors chaired by the Council Leader.

The East Lothian Council Plan GROWING OUR PEOPLE 2017-22 sets out our vision to To give our children the best start create an even more prosperous, safe in life and protect vulnerable and and sustainable East Lothian with a older people dynamic and thriving economy that allows our people to flourish. GROWING OUR COMMUNITIES It has an over-arching priority; To give people a real say in the decisions that matter most and ‘To reduce inequalities across and provide communities with the within our communities’, and four housing, transport links, community key objectives: facilities and environment that will allow them to flourish

GROWING OUR ECONOMY GROWING OUR CAPACITY To increase sustainable and inclusive To deliver excellent services as economic growth as the basis for effectively and efficiently as possible a more prosperous East Lothian within our limited resources

3 The council budget

Every year the council agrees Council Tax charges and allocations of funding to council service areas for the 12 months ahead.

The money you pay in Council Tax generates around 25% of our income.

Council Tax 25% RSG inc Business Rates 67% Budget Other Government Grants 8% headlines

The Revenue Support Grant (RSG) received from the Scottish Government will increase by £4.576m, this includes funding of £3.346m to deliver new contractual and policy obligations of which £1.948m is to support a Council Tax freeze. Council Tax will be frozen in 2021/22. £2.5m further investment has been earmarked for Education and Children’s Services. £1.3 million of additional ring fenced funding from the Scottish Government will support the continued expansion of early learning and childcare to 1140 hours. £600,000 will support a Business Recovery Investment Fund in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver sustainable development and to develop and enhance skills. Investment in new, improved or expanded local schools and infrastructure with a £367m programme of capital investment over five years There will be no increase in rent levels for tenants living in council properties. Rents in East Lothian will remain among the lowest in and support investment in new build council housing A £185m investment over five years in council housing, including significant expenditure on new homes and the modernisation or extension of others. The council will draw on £250,000 of reserves to help set a balanced budget in 2021/22. The council will continue to review how we do things, ensuring we remain as efficient as possible by introducing further innovation, new ways of working and helping to reduce expenditure and/or increase income.

4 How the budget is spent

East Lothian Council has a total budget of £268.283m for public services during 2021/22. This is allocated as shown below:

Education & Children’s Services 52% Council Resources 5% Adult Wellbeing 21% Communities & Partnerships 5% Infrastructure 11% Planning & Development 2% Corporate Commitments 4%

CHANGE CHANGE FROM FROM TOTAL NET PREVIOUS PREVIOUS EXPENDITURE YEAR YEAR

SERVICE £m £m % Education & Children’s Services 140.679 7.645 5.7 Council Resources 12.058 0.707 6.2 Adult Wellbeing 55.695 1.148 2.1 Communities & Partnerships 13.159 0.361 2.8 Infrastructure 30.194 2.089 7.4 Planning & Development 4.838 0.769 18.9 Corporate Commitments (note 1) 11.660 -7.094 -37.8 TOTAL 268.283 5.625 2.1

(note 1 – the decrease in corporate commitments reflects reduced loans fund costs as a result of flexibility approved by the Scottish Government to offset pressures associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.)

5 Our challenges

East Lothian Council is facing challenges. Rising demand for, and cost of, services and reductions in overall central government funding means doing more with less.

Cuts in funding and pressures to increase spending mean that the council has to achieve £9.230m in planned efficiencies in order to balance the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 budgets.

East Lothian has one of the fastest rates of growth in population in Scotland from 104,000 to over 120,000 by 2037 – about 1,000 a year.

The number of people aged 75 year or over will double, as will the number of people with dementia, meaning a big rise in care services for elderly people with dementia.

The number of children 0-15 years old will grow by over 15%, so we need one new secondary, at least two new primary schools and extensions to many of our schools.

6 Doing things differently

To respond to this challenge, we need to make changes in how we plan and deliver services in East Lothian; doing things more effectively and more efficiently. The 2017 Residents Survey found that between 84% and 97% of respondents agreed that the council should pursue the following options:

Focus resources on areas of East Lothian where the need is greatest Reduce and manage the growing demand for some services Focus on prevention and early intervention – taking action as soon as possible to tackle social problems before they become more difficult to turn around Deliver services in new ways, perhaps with more community involvement Identify those services which we should stop providing

The 2017-2022 Council Plan, setting out our ambitions for the next five years, states that the council will increasingly become:

An enabling and empowering authority that works with its citizens and communities, the business and third sectors and other public sector partners to deliver the solutions that work best for East Lothian. For example, social enterprises to deliver care services.

A more entrepreneurial authority, developing new ways of ensuring services are provided in the most effective and efficient way possible; generating more income from charges for existing services and developing new services that can make a ‘profit’ for the council. For example, an energy company to generate income from solar power and other renewable sources.

A digital authority, fully embracing and exploiting opportunities to use technology to deliver services. For example, enabling people to report, request and pay for services online.

7 Council Tax

Council Tax is applied across a range of bands from A to H, with all bands having a relationship with Band D. It was agreed at a meeting of East Lothian Council on Tuesday 2 March 2021 to freeze Council Tax levels for the financial year 2021/22. The Band D level of Council Tax remains at £1,302.62 for the year. For information, the Scottish average Band D charge for last year, 2020/21, was £1,308. Your Council Tax bill includes charges for your water supply and waste water collection services from Scottish Water. Although we collect these charges on behalf of Scottish Water, we are not responsible for setting them. Your annual Council Tax bill for 2021/22 may increase as Scottish Water has increased its charges. The table below shows the total amount to pay in 2021/22:

BAND VALUATION MULTIPLIER COUNCIL WATER WASTE TOTAL RANGE TAX CHARGE WATER CHARGE CHARGE

A Up to 240/360 £868.41 £141,66 £164.46 £1,174.53 £27,000 B £27,000 to 280/360 £1,013.14 £165.27 £191.87 £1,370.28 £35,000 C £35,000 to 320/360 £1,157.87 £188.88 £219.28 £1,566.03 £45,000 D £45,000 to 360/360 £1,302.62 £212.49 £246.69 £1,761.80 £58,000 E £58,000 to 473/360 £1,711.49 £259.71 £301.51 £2,272.71 £80,000 F £80,000 to 585/360 £2,116.75 £306.93 £356.33 £2,780.01 £106,000 G £106,000 to 705/360 £2,550.95 £354.15 £411.15 £3,316.25 £212,000 H Over 882/360 £3,191.40 £424.98 £493.38 £4,109.76 £212,000

8 General information

What is Council Tax? Council Tax is a tax on property and not a direct payment for council services.

How is my Council Tax calculated? The Council Tax you pay is based on the market value of your property as at 1st April 1991. The valuation of a domestic property in East Lothian is decided by the Assessor for the Lothian Valuation Joint Board. There are eight bands in the valuation list. East Lothian Council sets a level of tax for properties in Band D and all other bands are calculated as a proportion of this (see page 8).

BAND RANGE OF VALUES

A Up to £27,000 E Over £58,000 and up to £80,000 B Over £27,000 and up to £35,000 F Over £80,000 and up to £106,000 C Over £35,000 and up to £45,000 G Over £106,000 and up to £212,000 D Over £45,000 and up to £58,000 H Over £212,000

If you disagree with your property band you should contact the Assessor. Any proposal relating to dwellings must be made to the Assessor within six months. For more information on your property’s valuation please contact the Assessor on 0131 344 2500 or write to 17a South Gyle Crescent, , EH12 9FL. You can email the Assessor at: [email protected] or visit www.lothian-vjb.gov.uk

For more information about Council Tax visit www.eastlothian.gov.uk/counciltax

9 Water & waste water service charges Your Council Tax bill includes the charges for your water supply and waste water collection (sewerage) services from Scottish Water, even if you receive Council Tax Reduction. The charges are based on the Council Tax Band for your home (see page 9) and apply to every household which has a connection to the public water supply, the public waste water network, or both.

East Lothian Council bills and collects these charges on behalf of Scottish Water and details of how to pay can be found on your Council Tax bill.

The charges you pay allow Scottish Water to operate and improve water and waste water services in Scotland. You use these services is almost every aspect of your daily life. Every day, Scottish Water deliver 1.44 billion litres of clear, fresh drinking water so it’s there day or night whenever you turn on the taps, and they remove and treat 983 million litres of waste water to help protect the natural environment. They operate more than 2,000 water and waste water treatment works and over 60,000 miles of water pipes and sewers. The quality of your drinking water remains at its highest ever level. Scottish Water carries out, on average, 1 quality test every 2 minutes^ on the water they supply to your taps. Scottish Water’s focus is on delivering an excellent service, providing great value for money, and reducing their effect on the environment. Scottish Water work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to keep the water cycle running. This costs around £1 a day for the average household*. Scottish Water work to deliver their services, which are essential to daily lives, and to transform the organisation to make sure it can meet future challenges, especially around climate change, maintaining and replacing ageing infrastructure and reducing carbon emissions. They always aim to deliver on their promises and are always looking at how they can improve the service and the value that they provide. It is important that they aim to provide you with a great customer experience, and that when they say they will do something, they do it. Scottish Water wants you to be aware of their promises and your rights under their service standards. Visit www.scottishwater.co.uk/ourpromises

^ Based on 2019 figures; the most up to date figures available at time of going to print. * The average household is between Council Tax Band B and Band C and has a combined bill of around £1 a day. Individual Water Supply and Waste Water Collection charges are less than £1 a day for all households (except for the individual Waste Water Collection charges for Band G households and the individual Water Supply and Waste Water Collection charges for Band H households).

10 Help us to help you Water plays a vital role in our daily lives. We use it virtually every moment, every day. It’s a precious resource and we all have a part to play in caring for it.

Don’t flush single-use wipes, sanitary items and other bathroom waste items down the toilet as these often contain plastic. You should put these items in the bin and only flush toilet paper, pee & poo. Recycle or put all cooled fat, oil and grease in the bin, not down the sink*. Water is always worth saving, whatever the weather. It will help keep your energy costs down too. To find out how much water your household uses, visit www.getwaterfit.co.uk Top up from the tap – use a refillable bottle and enjoy Scotland’s great-tasting water fresh from the tap. It’s good for the planet, your pocket and you.

To find out more, visitwww.scottishwater.co.uk * Please check local council/waste contractor information on how to recycle or dispose of used fat, oil and grease in your area.

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) is the economic regulator of the water industry in Scotland and approves Scottish Water’s charges.

The table below tells you what your charges are from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2022.

Council Tax Water Waste Water Combined Band Supply Collection Services A £141.66 £164.46 £306.12 B £165.27 £191.87 £357.14 C £188.88 £219.28 £408.16 D £212.49 £246.69 £459.18 E £259.71 £301.51 £561.22 F £306.93 £356.33 £663.26 G £354.15 £411.15 £765.30 H £424.98 £493.38 £918.36

11 Your water and waste water charges are shown on your Council Tax bill, even if you receive a Council Tax Reduction. Some Council Tax exemptions and discounts will also apply to these charges, such as single occupancy or if you are a student. If your Council Tax bill includes services that you believe your home is not connected to, please contact Scottish Water’s Customer Portal at www.scottishwater.co.uk/ChargesFAQ Important: If you receive Council Tax Reduction you must still pay a water and waste water charge for the services you have at your home. However, you will receive a reduction of up to 35% on the charges shown in the table on page 11. If the property has been altered to meet the needs of a disabled person, you may be entitled to a Disabled Banding Reduction on the charges you pay for your property. If you have a disability, medical condition or other reason where you may need additional assistance from Scottish Water, please contact them and your details will be added to their confidential Priority Services Register.

To find out more about Scottish Water, their charges, their customer charter and keep up to date with what they are doing in your area: Visit www.scottishwater.co.uk Follow facebook.com/scottishwater @scottish_water Email [email protected] or Call the Scottish Water Customer Helpline free 24/7 on 0800 0778778

You can keep up to date about Scottish Water work or service updates, such as no water supply, in your area: Visit: www.scottishwater.co.uk/updates

12 Business Rates

The Scottish Government sets Business Rates and East Lothian Council is responsible for the administration and collection of the charge. For 2021/22, the national poundage rate for rateable values up to and including £51,000 is 49 pence per pound, 50.3 pence per pound for rateable values between £51,001 and £95,000, and 51.6 pence per pound for rateable values £95,001 and above.

Property valuation For more information on your property’s valuation, please contact the Assessor on 0131 344 2500 or write to 17a South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh EH12 9FL. You can email [email protected] or visit www.lothian-vjb.gov.uk

Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) If the combined rateable value of all your business premises in Scotland is £35,000 or less, you may qualify for SBBS. Further details and an application form for SBBS can be found at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/businessrates or email [email protected]

Other reliefs For more information on other reliefs available, including Retail Hospitality and Leisure relief, visit: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/businessrates You can also contact the Business Rates team on 01620 827969 or email [email protected]

More information For more information on Business Rates and links to information about East Lothian Works, Business Gateway, Trade Waste and the Trusted Trader Scheme, visit www.eastlothian.gov.uk/businessadvice

13 Council Tax Reduction If you’re on a low income or claiming certain benefits, you may be entitled to help from the council to pay your Council Tax. This is called a Council Tax Reduction.

You can claim Council Tax Reduction whether you own your own home or rent, are working or unemployed. The amount of reduction you may get will depend on a number of factors including; which benefits you receive, your age, your income, your savings, who you live with and and how much Council Tax you have to pay. When you apply you may be asked to provide evidence to support your application such as income and savings. If you can’t answer all the questions on the application form or provide all the evidence needed, just add a note to say that information or evidence will follow. That way we can get your application started. As Council Tax Reduction is not automatically awarded (even if you are claiming Universal Credit),you will need to apply to the council online at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/claimctr Help with your housing costs If you’re on a low income and finding it difficult to pay your rent, you may be able to apply for financial support. If you are pension age and on a low income, you may be entitled to Housing Benefit to help pay your rent. Housing Benefit can be awarded by the council and may cover all or part of your rent and may also cover some service charges. Apply online at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/applyforhb

If you are working age and out of work or on a low income, you may be entitled to Universal Credit from the Department For Work and Pensions. Your Universal Credit payment may include some help towards your housing costs. Apply online at www.gov.uk/universal-credit

If you rent your home, and you get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element, but still can’t afford your Housing costs, you may be eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment. Apply online at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/dhp

If you need help to apply online please call the Benefits Team for advice on T: 01620 827730 or 01620 827729. Alternatively, email [email protected]

14 Scottish Welfare Fund The Scottish Welfare Fund provides financial support if you are on a low income and need help to stay in your home, or are facing a crisis. This is normally in the form of a one-off grant to help with living costs. You do not need to pay the money back.

Two types of grant are available. A Community Care Grant can help you settle in a new home if, for example, you are leaving care, hospital, prison or homeless accommodation. This type of grant is normally provided in the form of goods, so you can apply for cookers, beds, furniture, carpets, etc. It can also provide support for families facing exceptional pressure. For example, if you’re struggling to provide a safe and secure home for your family, after a breakdown in family relationships, perhaps involving domestic violence.

A Crisis Grant may be awarded to meet expenses that have arisen as a result of an emergency or disaster in order to avoid serious damage or serious risk to the health and safety of an applicant or their family. Applications can be made for living expenses or for essential items following a disaster, for example a fire or flood. Examples of living expenses are food, essential heating costs, nappies, toiletries, etc.

To apply for a grant, applicants must be age 16 or over, have no means of support, have savings less than £700 (£1200 if you are pension age) or be entitled to one of the following (although this is not essential): Income Support Income Based Jobseekers Allowance Income Related Employment and Support Allowance Universal Credit Pension Credit

Apply online at www.eastlothian.gov.uk/swf Grants are awarded based on your situation. The council only receives a limited amount of money from the Scottish Government each year, so can only provide small grants. A maximum of three grants may be awarded in any 12 month period, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you need help or assistance, contact our Scottish Welfare Fund Team on 01620 828790.

15 Our fostering community know the importance of local support for our children and families, and how love and stability, bring rewards that last a lifetime...

Our young people say

The small things really counted; kindness, trust, encouragement for doing well

They’ve really been there for me. I feel more confident about what I could do next

Our carers say East Lothian has a vibrant and ambitious fostering community with plenty of new ideas and events to add to what you already know, as well as professional training and support for things you don’t

Believing in a child makes the world of difference to them. We feel like we’re part of something very special

@fosteringandadoptioneastlothian 16 Start a journey of your own. Find out more online at: www.eastlothian.gov.uk/fostering or call us on 01620 827 643

Connecting lives Changing the story Making a difference

17 Share your views Join our Citizens’ Panel to share your views on council spending and more.

As a Citizens’ Panel member you will be invited to complete surveys and have the opportunity to take part in activities such as focus groups, workshops and consultation events.

As a member you can really make a difference.

The council supports a range of ways in which East Lothian’s citizens can get involved and have their voices heard. For more information on community participation opportunities visit www.eastlothian.gov.uk/getinvolved or phone 01620 827270.

Register to vote - moving home? Remember to take your vote with you.

Register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote You will need your National Insurance number to do so. Alternatively contact the Electoral Registration Office on 0131 344 2500 or email [email protected]

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