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Cosla backs local income tax plan Cosla backs local income tax plan
(20 minutes later)
Council leaders have narrowly voted to support moves to scrap the council tax.Council leaders have narrowly voted to support moves to scrap the council tax.
The result came at a meeting of local authority umbrella group Cosla which backed Scottish Government plans for a local income tax. A meeting of local authority umbrella group Cosla in Aberdeen voted 52 to 50 in favour of Scottish Government plans for a local income tax.
Sources told the BBC that support for a local income tax would now be the official Cosla position. Labour and Conservative councillors voted against. Support for a local income tax will now be the official position of the local government body.
They said the organisation would also try to reflect the views of the minority because there had been such a vigorous debate. Cosla said it would try to reflect the views of the minority because there had been such a vigorous debate.
Delegates meeting in Aberdeen voted 52 to 50 in support of the proposed 3p levy. Labour and Conservative councillors voted against. The Scottish Government hopes to introduce a local income tax in 2011/12 but would require the support of other parties.
With this Cosla vote the days of the sky-high council tax look to be numbered Finance Secretary John Swinney
Glasgow City Council recently published research which suggested a local income tax set at 3p would leave the city with a £60m funding shortfall.Glasgow City Council recently published research which suggested a local income tax set at 3p would leave the city with a £60m funding shortfall.
The Scottish Government said it accepted there would have to be some adjustment of council funding. The Scottish Government said it accepted there would have to be some adjustment of council funding. With this Cosla vote the days of the sky-high council tax look to be numbered Finance Secretary John Swinney It claimed a local income tax would be fairer, with four out of five households better or no worse off.
It claimed a local income tax would be fairer, with four out of five households better or no worse off.
Finance Secretary John Swinney welcomed the Cosla vote.Finance Secretary John Swinney welcomed the Cosla vote.
He said: "The council tax is an unfair tax and it is time we moved to a fairer system that recognises people's ability to pay - and Scotland's representative local government organisation now agrees with that, which is an excellent step forward.He said: "The council tax is an unfair tax and it is time we moved to a fairer system that recognises people's ability to pay - and Scotland's representative local government organisation now agrees with that, which is an excellent step forward.
"The Scottish Government's 3p local income tax plans will see the vast majority of Scots paying less local tax, with the biggest benefits enjoyed by people with the lowest incomes in our society. In particular, pensioners will be much better off."The Scottish Government's 3p local income tax plans will see the vast majority of Scots paying less local tax, with the biggest benefits enjoyed by people with the lowest incomes in our society. In particular, pensioners will be much better off.
"The Scottish Parliament has already voted in favour of the principle of abolishing the council tax. With this Cosla vote, the days of the sky-high council tax look to be numbered.""The Scottish Parliament has already voted in favour of the principle of abolishing the council tax. With this Cosla vote, the days of the sky-high council tax look to be numbered."
Labour said the decision did not support the "prevailing view" among local authorities.
Public services spokesman Andy Kerr said: "A number of local authorities were not represented at the Cosla meeting to discuss local income tax today.
"In that context it would be wrong to paint this decision as one that gives a universal thumbs-up to the Scottish Government's local income tax plans."