THIS week's Councillor Column is written by Maurice Corry, Conservative councillor for Lomond North.

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IN the past week we have seen the Scottish Government pass their first budget through Parliament, with the support of the Green Party. Some may agree with the changes made in order to raise more tax, however it is not good for a number of reasons.

The changes mean workers in Scotland start paying 40 per cent tax on earnings over £43,430 compared with the rest of the United Kingdom where workers wouldn’t start paying this rate until they’re earning over £45,000, this making Scotland the most taxed part of the United Kingdom.

This does not encourage people to move to Scotland to work. It makes working in other areas of the United Kingdom more inviting to work, as the same job in England will ultimately mean more money in the pocket of the worker.

The increases to the council tax to be redistributed through the Education Attainment Fund can be as much as 22 per cent, adding £10 per week. Due to the way the money is to be spent, Argyll and Bute schools are disadvantaged, with some receiving none of the funding.

The SNP have succeeded in taking control of council tax rises and selecting the recipients, rather than allowing local democracy to decide for itself where investment is needed most.

These changes, along with our annual deficit, which is plugged through the Barnett Formula, confirm that we could not sustain an independent Scotland. The idea of one should be taken off the table. Running the country and building our economy should become the top priority.

Elsewhere, the new tender for the Kilcreggan ferry was recently accepted, remaining with the current service provider at an increased cost. Hopefully the increased cost helps provide a good, reliable service for passengers.

It is a priority to ensure this service remains focussed to meet the requirements for commuters and leisure users alike.

We expressed this in parliament to the Transport Minister recently. I hope that he will agree to Transport Scotland managing the contract for the ferry service.

This would ensure the tender would need to meet the same criteria as the Dunoon ferry to help improve the service. However, by keeping the contracts separate, it maintains the importance of the service rather than 'piggy backing' on a much larger contract, which would be the main priority of the operator.