Is the money you pay in council tax ending up hidden in offshore tax havens?

Unbelievably, despite their best efforts, Scottish councils still don’t have the legal powers they need to completely stop this from happening.

Councils spend millions procuring services on our behalf each year, from choosing which catering company will service local schools to which cleaning company will service local leisure centres.

But procurement rules set by the UK and Scottish governments mean that a Council can’t fully take into account whether the company uses unethical business practices – like refusing to pay the living wage or being based in a tax haven – when tendering contracts.

Recent polling has shown that over two-thirds of the Scottish public think that local councils should consider a company’s ethics and how they pay their tax as well as value for money when awarding contracts. That's higher than anywhere else in the UK.

Research from the Fair Tax Foundation has shown that 17.5% of UK public contracts are won by companies linked to tax havens. We need action, and we need it now.

That’s why we’re calling on both the UK and Scottish governments to commit to changing the rules, so that your council tax money doesn’t end up in the hands of tax avoiders.

Will you join us, and add your name to our petition?