# Where your council tax goes in West Dunbartonshire url: https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/scotland/west-dunbartonshire/where-it-goes/ updated: 29 September 2026 licence: Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Figures: each source's own licence, listed under Sources. publisher: [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk) # Where your council tax goes in West Dunbartonshire Last updated 29 September 2026. Figures refresh every night. [How each figure is worked out](/methodology/). A Band D council tax bill in **West Dunbartonshire** is **£1,681.53** for 2026-27, split between West Dunbartonshire £1,681.53. Shared out in proportion to what each body spends, the largest single line is education at West Dunbartonshire: **£854.11** of the bill. Council tax pays for 9% of the council's own spending; the rest is government grant, business rates and fees. Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source: [Scottish Government](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/). ## Key figures - £1,681.53Band D bill, 2026-27 As of 6 April 2026 - £1,681.53Goes to West Dunbartonshire itself (100%) As of 6 April 2026 - £854.11Largest line: education As of 3 February 2026 - 8.7%Of the council's money that comes from council tax, 2024-25 As of 3 February 2026 Source: [Scottish Government](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/). ## Who gets your bill Your council tax band A B C D E F G H Figures are for a **Band D** home. Bands A to H pay a fixed fraction of this, set in law. 1681.53 West Dunbartonshire 100% In Scotland the whole bill goes to the council. Police and fire have been funded nationally since 2013, and the water and sewerage charges on the same bill belong to Scottish Water. ## And where does that bit go? Choose any part of the bill to see how it divides, then keep going as far as the published returns allow. Every level has its own link you can share. ### Where the rest comes from **Council tax pays for 8.7%** of the money West Dunbartonshire had to spend in 2024-25. ********** - Council tax 8.7% £41.7m - Business rates 18.3% £87.5m - General government grant 33.9% £161.7m - Government grants for specific services 10.2% £48.8m - Fees, charges and other income 28.8% £137.6m Council tax is pooled with the council's other money, not ring-fenced for any service. The split on this page shares your bill out in proportion to what each body spends; it does not say what any one pound paid for. - Your bill ### Your bill: £1,681.53 - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) £1,681.53 ** Your council · 100.0% of the bill - [Your bill](#d-bill) - West Dunbartonshire ### West Dunbartonshire £1,681.53 of your bill goes to West Dunbartonshire. It is shared out below in proportion to how West Dunbartonshire spent its money in 2024-25, its latest published return. - [Education](#d-council~education) £854.11 ** 50.8% of this part · £137.1m in 2024-25 · £1,552 per resident; similar councils £1,495 · up 9.4% on 2023-24 - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) £569.98 ** 33.9% of this part · £91.5m in 2024-25 · £1,036 per resident; similar councils £723 · up 5.7% on 2023-24 - [Parks, leisure, libraries and culture](#d-council~culture-leisure) £80.19 ** 4.8% of this part · £12.9m in 2024-25 · £146 per resident; similar councils £103 · up 1.6% on 2023-24 - [Environment and regulation](#d-council~environment) £67.78 ** 4.0% of this part · £10.9m in 2024-25 · £123 per resident; similar councils £127 · down 15.1% on 2023-24 - [Running the council](#d-council~central) £41.27 ** 2.5% of this part · £6.6m in 2024-25 · £75 per resident; similar councils £85 · up 8.2% on 2023-24 - [Roads and transport](#d-council~highways-transport) £31.14 ** 1.9% of this part · £5.0m in 2024-25 · £57 per resident; similar councils £90 · down 22.3% on 2023-24 - [Housing (not council homes)](#d-council~housing) £28.46 ** 1.7% of this part · £4.6m in 2024-25 · £52 per resident; similar councils £62 · down 16.6% on 2023-24 Not council homes: [see the note](#d-council~housing). - Children's social care £8.60 ** 0.5% of this part · £1.4m in 2024-25 · £16 per resident; similar councils £91 · down 37.2% on 2023-24 Planning and development brought in £942k more than it cost in 2024-25, so it takes no share of your bill. **Which councils count as similar** Medians are across the 10 Scottish councils closest in population: Argyll & Bute, Stirling, Moray, Inverclyde, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian, East Dunbartonshire, South Ayrshire, Angus, East Lothian. Per-resident figures use ONS mid-year population estimates. - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) - Education ### Education £854.11 of your bill goes to education at West Dunbartonshire. Here is how its £137.1m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Primary schools £323.79 ** 37.9% of this · £52.0m in 2024-25 · £588 per resident; similar councils £531 · up 5.5% on 2023-24 - Secondary schools £301.05 ** 35.2% of this · £48.3m in 2024-25 · £547 per resident; similar councils £519 · up 0.1% on 2023-24 - Early years and nursery £129.52 ** 15.2% of this · £20.8m in 2024-25 · £235 per resident; similar councils £196 · up 69.2% on 2023-24 - Special schools and alternative provision £89.51 ** 10.5% of this · £14.4m in 2024-25 · £163 per resident; similar councils £173 · up 2.5% on 2023-24 - Community learning £5.13 ** 0.6% of this · £824k in 2024-25 · £9.33 per resident; similar councils £17 · down 13.8% on 2023-24 - Other education £5.10 ** 0.6% of this · £818k in 2024-25 · £9.26 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 37.0% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) - Adult social care ### Adult social care £569.98 of your bill goes to adult social care at West Dunbartonshire. Here is how its £91.5m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Paid to the Integration Joint Board £551.38 ** 96.7% of this · £89.8m in 2024-25 · £1,017 per resident; similar councils £713 · up 5.7% on 2023-24 - Adult social care run by the council directly £18.43 ** 3.2% of this · £3.0m in 2024-25 · £34 per resident; similar councils £-8.82 · down 60.3% on 2023-24 - Criminal justice social work £0.17 ** under 0.1% of this · £27k in 2024-25 · £0.31 per resident; similar councils £0.44 · down 93.7% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) - Parks, leisure, libraries and culture ### Parks, leisure, libraries and culture £80.19 of your bill goes to parks, leisure, libraries and culture at West Dunbartonshire. Here is how its £12.9m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Sport and leisure £34.59 ** 43.1% of this · £5.6m in 2024-25 · £63 per resident; similar councils £40 · up 8.5% on 2023-24 - Parks and open spaces (including play areas) £25.94 ** 32.3% of this · £4.2m in 2024-25 · £47 per resident; similar councils £32 · up 2.3% on 2023-24 - Libraries £14.73 ** 18.4% of this · £2.4m in 2024-25 · £27 per resident; similar councils £21 · down 5.3% on 2023-24 - Museums, arts, heritage and archives £4.27 ** 5.3% of this · £685k in 2024-25 · £7.75 per resident; similar councils £9.39 · down 19.5% on 2023-24 - Tourism £0.67 ** 0.8% of this · £107k in 2024-25 · £1.21 per resident; similar councils £0.27 · down 17.7% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) - Environment and regulation ### Environment and regulation £67.78 of your bill goes to environment and regulation at West Dunbartonshire. Here is how its £10.9m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Waste disposal £41.09 ** 60.6% of this · £7.4m in 2024-25 · £84 per resident; similar councils £50 · down 3.4% on 2023-24 - Waste collection £17.68 ** 26.1% of this · £3.2m in 2024-25 · £36 per resident; similar councils £36 · down 20.6% on 2023-24 - Environmental health, food safety, pest control and licensing £4.97 ** 7.3% of this · £898k in 2024-25 · £10 per resident; similar councils £16 · down 17.7% on 2023-24 - Trading standards £2.79 ** 4.1% of this · £503k in 2024-25 · £5.69 per resident; similar councils £5.86 · down 0.6% on 2023-24 - Other environmental services £1.25 ** 1.8% of this · £226k in 2024-25 · £2.56 per resident; similar councils £18 · down 53.9% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) - Running the council ### Running the council £41.27 of your bill goes to running the council at West Dunbartonshire. Here is how its £6.6m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Non-distributed costs (past pensions, unused assets) £19.84 ** 48.1% of this · £3.3m in 2024-25 · £38 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 4.7% on 2023-24 - Corporate and democratic core £14.94 ** 36.2% of this · £2.5m in 2024-25 · £28 per resident; similar councils £28 · down 11.2% on 2023-24 - Council tax and rates valuation £3.15 ** 7.6% of this · £531k in 2024-25 · £6.01 per resident; similar councils £6.09 · up 0.2% on 2023-24 - Elections and electoral registration £1.89 ** 4.6% of this · £318k in 2024-25 · £3.60 per resident; similar councils £2.21 · up 27.7% on 2023-24 - Registering births, deaths and marriages £0.63 ** 1.5% of this · £106k in 2024-25 · £1.20 per resident; similar councils £0.66 · down 13.1% on 2023-24 - Other central services £0.39 ** 0.9% of this · £66k in 2024-25 · £0.75 per resident; similar councils £2.96 - Not itemised in the return £0.43 ** 1.0% of this · £72k in 2024-25 · £0.82 per resident; similar councils £3.29 · up 12.5% on 2023-24 "Not itemised in the return" is the difference between the service total and the lines the return lists. - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) - Roads and transport ### Roads and transport £31.14 of your bill goes to roads and transport at West Dunbartonshire. Here is how its £5.0m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Support for bus, rail and other public transport £9.11 ** 29.3% of this · £1.5m in 2024-25 · £17 per resident; similar councils £16 · up 2.9% on 2023-24 - Street lighting (including energy) £6.73 ** 21.6% of this · £1.1m in 2024-25 · £12 per resident; similar councils £14 · down 7.1% on 2023-24 - Road and bridge maintenance £5.84 ** 18.8% of this · £938k in 2024-25 · £11 per resident; similar councils £43 · down 36.7% on 2023-24 - Winter service (gritting) £4.22 ** 13.6% of this · £678k in 2024-25 · £7.67 per resident; similar councils £12 · down 17.4% on 2023-24 - Traffic management and road safety £3.03 ** 9.7% of this · £487k in 2024-25 · £5.51 per resident; similar councils £9.45 · down 48.7% on 2023-24 - Other transport (airports, harbours, tolls) £1.42 ** 4.6% of this · £228k in 2024-25 · £2.58 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · down 46.7% on 2023-24 - Concessionary bus fares £0.77 ** 2.5% of this · £124k in 2024-25 · £1.40 per resident; similar councils £0.94 · down 25.3% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [West Dunbartonshire](#d-council) - Housing (not council homes) ### Housing (not council homes) £28.46 of your bill goes to housing (not council homes) at West Dunbartonshire. Here is how its £4.6m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Housing benefit administration and discretionary payments £14.34 ** 50.4% of this · £2.4m in 2024-25 · £27 per resident; similar councils £15 · down 30.8% on 2023-24 - Other General Fund housing £11.17 ** 39.2% of this · £1.8m in 2024-25 · £21 per resident; similar councils £11 · up 138.3% on 2023-24 - Supporting People and welfare services £2.60 ** 9.1% of this · £428k in 2024-25 · £4.84 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 6.5% on 2023-24 - Private sector housing renewal £0.35 ** 1.2% of this · £58k in 2024-25 · £0.66 per resident; similar councils £1.37 · up 190.0% on 2023-24 **Council homes are not in this.** Council housing is paid for through the Housing Revenue Account, from tenants' rents, and the law keeps it separate from the General Fund that council tax goes into. West Dunbartonshire's Housing Revenue Account took in £53.0m and spent £26.4m in 2024-25. [What council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#ring-fence). ## Parks, street cleaning and roads here What West Dunbartonshire spent, net of income, on the lines readers ask about most. Roads and street cleaning are also shown per mile of road the council looks after, where it is the highway authority. Gully cleaning and verge cutting are inside routine maintenance; no return splits them out. | Line | Net spending | Per resident | Similar councils, per resident | Per mile of road | Change | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Parks and open spaces (including play areas)Details | £4.2m | £47 | £32 | — | up 2.3% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£47Similar councils, per resident£32Per mile of road—Changeup 2.3% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Road and bridge maintenanceDetails | £938k | £11 | £43 | £3,708 (similar: £5,365) | down 36.7% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£11Similar councils, per resident£43Per mile of road£3,708 (similar: £5,365)Changedown 36.7% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Winter service (gritting)Details | £678k | £7.67 | £12 | £2,680 (similar: £2,044) | down 17.4% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£7.67Similar councils, per resident£12Per mile of road£2,680 (similar: £2,044)Changedown 17.4% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Street lighting (including energy)Details | £1.1m | £12 | £14 | £4,273 (similar: £2,227) | down 7.1% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£12Similar councils, per resident£14Per mile of road£4,273 (similar: £2,227)Changedown 7.1% on 2023-24 | | | | | | Miles of road: Department for Transport road lengths, 2025; locally managed major roads and all minor roads. More on [what council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#local-environment). ## What it adds up to | Service | Per resident | Median | | --- | --- | --- | | EducationDetails | £1,552 | £1,442 | | Median£1,442 | | | | Adult social careDetails | £1,036 | £695 | | Median£695 | | | | Parks, leisure, libraries and cultureDetails | £146 | £110 | | Median£110 | | | | Environment and regulationDetails | £123 | £139 | | Median£139 | | | | Running the councilDetails | £75 | £89 | | Median£89 | | | | Roads and transportDetails | £57 | £89 | | Median£89 | | | | Housing (not council homes)Details | £52 | £59 | | Median£59 | | | | Children's social careDetails | £16 | £174 | | Median£174 | | | | Planning and developmentDetails | £-10.66 | £35 | | Median£35 | | | - West Dunbartonshire spent **45.6%** of its gross service spending on its own staff in 2024-25 (median for Scottish councils: 41.9%); the rest went on suppliers, contractors, grants, benefits and other running costs. ## What this data does and doesn't show - These are each body's own figures, as reported to government in its revenue outturn return. Net spending is after the fees, charges and grants a service brings in. - Your bill is for 2026-27; it is shared out using the latest published return, which covers an earlier year. The mix of spending changes little from one year to the next, but it does change. - Council tax is not ring-fenced: this shows your bill in proportion to spending, not what your money bought. Where a precept is set aside for adult social care, it is shown against adult social care. - No council publishes spending at street or property level, so nothing here says what was spent near you. - Sub-service lines are the ones the national returns itemise. Councils describe their own budgets differently; their budget books and statements of accounts have more detail. ## Sources - Scottish Government, [Council Tax by Band](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/). Open Government Licence v3.0. - Scottish Government, [Scottish Local Government Finance Statistics](https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2026/02/scottish-local-government-finance-statistics-2024-25/documents/la-level---net-revenue-expenditure-by-subservice/la-level---net-revenue-expenditure-by-subservice/govscot%3Adocument/Scottish%2BLocal%2BGovernment%2BFinance%2BStatistics%2B%2528SLGFS%2529%2B2024-25%2B-%2BLA%2BLevel%2B-%2BNet%2BRevenue%2BExpenditure%2Bby%2BSubservice%2B-%2B2026-01-09.xlsx), published 3 February 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. How the split is worked out, and how the three nations' returns are matched to one list of services, is on the [methodology page](/methodology/#council-spending). The dataset is on the [data page](/data/#council-spending). See also [council tax in West Dunbartonshire](/council-tax/scotland/west-dunbartonshire/) and [everything else about West Dunbartonshire](/your-area/west-dunbartonshire/). ## Common questions What does council tax pay for in West Dunbartonshire? A Band D bill of £1,681.53 is split between West Dunbartonshire. In proportion to spending, the largest line is education, £854.11.Is council tax ring-fenced for particular services? No. Council tax is pooled with grants, business rates and fees. The adult social care precept is the exception: councils raise it for adult social care. ## Sources for this page | Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Council Tax Assumptions: Council Tax by Band](https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-datasets/) | Scottish Government | the 2026–27 financial year | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) | | [Scottish Local Government Finance Statistics](https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2026/02/scottish-local-government-finance-statistics-2024-25/documents/la-level---net-revenue-expenditure-by-subservice/la-level---net-revenue-expenditure-by-subservice/govscot%3Adocument/Scottish%2BLocal%2BGovernment%2BFinance%2BStatistics%2B%2528SLGFS%2529%2B2024-25%2B-%2BLA%2BLevel%2B-%2BNet%2BRevenue%2BExpenditure%2Bby%2BSubservice%2B-%2B2026-01-09.xlsx) | Scottish Government | 3 February 2026 | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) | Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Related pages - [Next in this section: Parking income in West Dunbartonshire](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/parking/west-dunbartonshire/) - [Back to West Dunbartonshire: your area](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/your-area/west-dunbartonshire/) - [How much is council tax and what does it pay for?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/) - [Who is my MP, and what does their office cost?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/mps/) - [Where does my tax money actually go?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/for-every-100-pounds-of-tax/) ## More from this publisher - [UK tax calculators](https://howlongisit.co.uk) Published by [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). The figures belong to the publishers listed under Sources and are used under their licences. Figures last updated 29 September 2026.