New tax year

Saturday marked the start of the new 2024/25 tax year. Those of us who pay as we earn will notice a couple of significant changes when we check our payslips at the end of the month.

Firstly, assuming our wages are the same or higher, we will be paying more in income tax. This is due to the UK Government not increasing the personal tax free allowance in line with inflation and the Scottish Government doing likewise with tax thresholds for the intermediate and higher tax rates.

Also, the Scottish Government has introduced a new advanced rate of tax in Scotland of 45p in the pound for those lucky to have taxable earnings above £75,000 a year and increased the advanced rate of tax from 47p to 48p for taxable earnings over £125,140.

In contrast, those of us who pay national insurance will find that our contributions have reduced because of a decision taken by the UK Government in the recent spring budget.

The Scottish Government says that it has increased income taxes to protect public services from cuts while the UK Government says it has cut national insurance contributions to support families with the cost of living crisis.

I am sure those local residents who emailed me over the last few weeks protesting about the increase in council tax will be writing to the First Minister to complain about the increase in income tax and writing to the Prime Minister thanking him for cutting national insurance contributions. Or maybe not.

Ferguson Marine

The launch of a new ship has always been a big day for our historic shipbuilding community as we celebrate the endeavours of all of those who worked so hard to build it.

The launch of the Glen Rosa yesterday saw hundreds gather on the waterfront at Port Glasgow to watch the much-delayed CalMac ferry take to the water.

The reasons for the delays to Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa are well-rehearsed. The simple truth is that these type of ferries should never have been commissioned in the first place and, however well-intentioned they may have been, the Scottish Government should not have awarded the contract to Ferguson Marine which did not have the capacity to build these ferries on time and on budget.

We are where we are, however. We now need to look ahead.

Ferguson Marine is owned by the Scottish Government and the responsibility for securing the future of the yard rests fairly and squarely with Humza Yousaf and his ministers.

The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy Mairi McAllan must now, as a matter of urgency, commit to investing in the yard and agree to a direct award of the small ferry contract due to be procured soon by CMAL.

Inverclyde simply cannot afford to lose another 300 skilled jobs.

Bin digital dumpers

Those of us who use social media will be aware of adverts from people and businesses offering to collect our waste. They may look legitimate but sometimes they aren’t and instead of disposing of our items correctly, these companies are responsible for fly-tipping.

I am in full support of SEPA’s campaign to Disrupt Digital Dumpers. Currently it is a pilot scheme but already they’ve identified that between 50 and 60 per cent of businesses advertising on social media could be breaking the law by operating without the correct waste carrier licence.

Always check a business’s waste carrier number and check they are registered with SEPA.

And remember if a business is offering a cheap service which sounds too good to be true – it probably is.