Moray Council 2018/19 service charges agreed

CHARGES for many Moray Council services will rise in April, it was agreed today.

Those charges which are set nationally, are currently under review or have the maximum charge already levied will remain unchanged. These include civic licenses, leisure fees and musical instruction.

Parking fines will see one of the biggest increases, rising to £80 or £60 if paid within 14 days, from £65 and £40 respectively. Above inflation increases will also be applied to several other services, including the assignation of a tenancy, the cost of an export certificate, use of the marriage room, surcharges for marriages on Saturdays and in approved venues.

A 10 per cent increase in fees will be applied to roads and fleet services, including road occupations and permits, and temporary traffic orders.

Remaining services will see an inflation increase of three per cent applied to charges.

Chair of Moray Council’s Policy & Resources Committee, Cllr George Alexander, said changes to the charges would more accurately reflect the cost of providing statutory and non-statutory services.

“Against a challenging financial backdrop, it makes sound business sense to try, where appropriate, to cover the entire cost of providing council services. A great deal of work has gone into identifying which services can be charged at a higher level, benchmarking our fees against those of other Scottish local authorities, and recognising where we shouldn’t be levying an extra charge.”

Changes to fees will come into effect at the start of the new financial year, 1 April 2018.

Famous for its colony of dolphins, fabulous beaches and more malt whisky distilleries than any where else in Scotland, Moray is a thriving area and a great place to live. Nestling between Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, Moray stretches from Tomintoul in the south to the shores of the Moray Firth, from Keith in the east to Brodie Castle in the west.