Largs paid £10 million in council tax during the past year to NAC

The News submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act to find out how much money was paid in by residents of Largs, Millport, Fairlie, Skelmorlie and Millport to North Ayrshire Council's coffers in council tax during the past five years.

Largs householders stumped up a total of almost £10 million during the 2022-23 business year - an increase of £1m on the figure from 2017-18 level.

Fairlie paid out £1.5m, West Kilbride taxpayers forked out £4.5m, while those in Millport paid up to the tune of £1.6m.

Skelmorlie householders paid £2.2m.

The Largs total of £9.9m was broken down as follows.

Band A (the lowest council tax rate) £631,140; Band B £1,003,378.93; Band C £965,675.43, Band D £1,379,330.59; Band E £2,850,923.78; Band F £1,978,653.95, Band G £1,024,968.12, Band H - £31,174.33 

Band A includes properties valued up to £27,000, while the other upper limits are £35,000 for Band B, £45,000 for Band C, £58,000 in band D; £80,000 in Band E, £106,000 in Band F, £212,000 in Band G.

Properties valued at more than £212,000 are placed in Band H.

According to the data, the amount paid out by Largs householders in council tax has risen from a figure of £8.9m in 2017-18.

The village of Fairlie (Image: Newsquest)

Fairlie's total of £1.5m was up £250,000 on the figure from 2017-18, with the highest total from any single band being £472,000 from householders in Band E properties.

West Kilbride's £4.5m in 2022/23 is £700,000 more than five years ago - and it's a total that can be expected to rise further in future years thanks to the major Persimmon housing development in the village.

The village's highest contribution from a single band was the £1.29m from properties in Band F.

In Millport, the council tax take has risen from £1.4m to £1.6m in four years, with the highest individual band total being £257,000 from properties in band B.

Skelmorlie completes the list with a £2.2m contribution, with the highest individual band total being £715,000 from properties in Band F. 

The total tax take for 2022-23 compares to one of £2.02m for 2017-18.

Reacting to the figures, Fairlie community councillor David Telford said: "For me, we don't get good value for money - most of the council money for education comes from central government, and that is the case for a number of ring-fenced items, what has Fairlie ever got out of North Ayrshire Council?

David Telford (Image: Newsquest)
"Fairlie and West Kilbride both lost swing parks over recent years, we have a library which is open for two half days a week, and maybe a new flower bed now and again, and that is it.

"Fairlie is quite wealthy, and I can understand that the bulk of the money goes to less wealthy areas ,but it shouldn't be all of it, and Largs doesn't do so well either.

"I think our towns in the North Coast area deserve a lot more for what the taxpayers pay."

Millport (Image: Newsquest)
Largs community councillor Jamie Black said: "It is interesting to hear these figures and it is significant that the amount collected from Largs has gone up 10 per cent in the past five years.

"It would be interesting to know the corresponding investment in the town as a result.

Jamie Black (Image: Newsquest)
"We have no community centre or community hub in the town, and it would be good to see some council investment in this going forward - and while I understand there are council cuts, there has been asset-stripping in the town with the loss of Moorburn Chambers.

"We are the only town in North Ayrshire without a community centre. Not a community council meetings goes by where we don't identify a need for a community centre, and it is very much in our focus."

West Kilbride (Image: Newsquest)
North Coast Conservative councillor Tom Marshall said: "It is hard to judge if we get value for money from council tax or not, but the council do provide a wide range of services, mainly education and social work.

"Then there is the maintenance of seafront and roads, environmental health and lots of peripheral services which have to be paid for.

Cllr Tom Marshall (Image: North Ayrshire Council)
"I am concerned in last few years that property bands F, G and H got well above inflation increases in their council tax of up to 25 per cent which is unfair.

Skelmorlie (Image: Google Maps)
"There are a lot of people who stay in bungalows who are on a fixed income, and having to find £3-400 a month for council tax is a real drag on their finances, so I would like to see a review of the council tax bandings going forward."