West Dunbartonshire Council tax to rise by 7.8 per cent

After a tense meeting on Wednesday, March 4, councillors voted to approve a budget plan for 2026/27 to balance a multi-million pound gap.

Elected members took three hours to present and debate their own plans for the financial year, including saving options, management adjustments and rent rises.

Labour presented their budget, which proposed an 7.8 per cent rise, in order to balance finances, that took onboard some of the saving options presented to them.

READ MORE: LIVE West Dunbartonshire Council to set 2026/27 budget

The opposition group of SNP councillors presented a 10.4 per cent rise which rejected all saving options and agreed £705,000 of management adjustments.

A third plan was presented by Jim Bollan of the West Dunbartonshire Community Party which called for the council officers to compile a needs based budget, inclusive of inflation, to be reported to an emergency meeting.

This would include zero saving or management adjustments, no council tax increase has been proposed.

Councillors voted for the Labour motion by nine votes against seven votes for the SNP motion and three abstains.

A breakdown of their budget, is as follows:

• £1.7m would be earmarked for road improvements
• 7.8% council tax increase
• A freeze to brown bin charges
• £713,000 invested in health and social care pay rises
• Funding retained for Y Sort It
• Veteran Bowling Clubs retained
• The town hall in Clydebank to stay open, although there is no further information on opening times)
• Early Start Clubs to be retained
• Free music tuition to be retained
• Reject the option of introducing parking charges
• £800,000 to be retain for school lunches, rejecting the option to rise the cost
• School transport to be retained at current levels
• Retention of school swimming lessons
• £291,000 cash injection for HSCP
• £337,000 to upgrade playparks
• Retained funding for WD Community and Volunteering Services
• Retained funding for Lomond Care and Repair
• Retained Community Council funding
• Retained Clydebank Asbestos Group funding
• Retained Clydebank Shop Mobility funding
• Retained Citizens Advice Bureau funding
• Retained Antonine Sports Centre funding
• £120,000 committed to supporting foodbanks
• Cost of Living support to be given to Whitecrook Community Action Group
• £746,000 committed to special needs, aids and adaptions
• £544,000 to improve pathways
• £100,000 to tackling holiday hunger
• Cost of Living support for Flourishing Faifley
• 300% tax penalty on empty/second homes
• £945,000 to primary school upgrades
• Cost of Living support for Bankie Talk
• Cost of Living support for Antonine Trust
• Commitment to working towards a £15 per hour pay for employees
• £234,000 towards pay rises for Leisure Trust Staff

This is a breaking news story, more as we have it.