:00:00. > :00:08.what it says about the president and his administration.
:00:09. > :00:11.Some companies are rebelling against new business rates coming
:00:12. > :00:13.into force in April - with one leading hotelier
:00:14. > :00:17.It's being claimed that the increases don't
:00:18. > :00:19.take account of a drop in turnover since revaluation.
:00:20. > :00:21.However the Scottish government say they're supporting smaller
:00:22. > :00:23.businesses and an extra one hundred thousand will now
:00:24. > :00:36.A busy lunchtime at the Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen.
:00:37. > :00:39.But owner Stewart Spence isn't celebrating.
:00:40. > :00:44.His business rates are set to rise by 25%, an extra ?1000 a week.
:00:45. > :00:51.At the same time, turnover has plunged by 40%.
:00:52. > :00:54.Mr Spence is refusing to pay the increased rates, and is calling
:00:55. > :01:05.I'm going to continue to pay my old rates which is ?252,000 a year,
:01:06. > :01:12.until I have a satisfactory answer to my appeal.
:01:13. > :01:16.Are you concerned about legal ramifications?
:01:17. > :01:25.I would love to go to court to challenge it.
:01:26. > :01:28.Rates rises aren't confined to the hospitality sector.
:01:29. > :01:30.The managing director of this nursery, and four others
:01:31. > :01:33.in the west of Scotland, will see her bill increase
:01:34. > :01:41.It's hugely concerning because a lot of people initially say, that's OK,
:01:42. > :01:43.you can charge it back to the parents.
:01:44. > :01:46.But there's obviously a ceiling to what we can do
:01:47. > :01:49.there and there's a saturation point, and we will come to a point
:01:50. > :02:01.where parents will say, we can't afford to go out and work.
:02:02. > :02:05.And many businesses in Scotland will be affected.
:02:06. > :02:07.The Scottish Conservatives are calling for an "immediate
:02:08. > :02:18.The Scottish Government say thousands will play nothing at all.
:02:19. > :02:21.We have taken decisions to support businesses.
:02:22. > :02:27.We have increased the threshold for the small business bonus
:02:28. > :02:31.to ?15,000, lifting about 100,000 businesses out of rates altogether.
:02:32. > :02:33.Businesses like this one can appeal their revaluation
:02:34. > :02:35.if they think the assessors have got it wrong.
:02:36. > :02:41.One thing's for sure - this rates row looks set to rumple on.
:02:42. > :02:44.So why are some businesses facing big increases while others are not?
:02:45. > :02:49.Our Business and Economy Editor Douglas Fraser explains.
:02:50. > :02:52.I have travelled all the way to my place of work,
:02:53. > :02:56.the BBC headquarters in Glasgow, which is liable for nondomestic
:02:57. > :02:59.rates, as our other offices, factories, warehouses,
:03:00. > :03:22.schools and hospitals, a bothy, a satellite mast and salmon.
:03:23. > :03:25.It depends on the business sector and on the location.
:03:26. > :03:27.Seven years ago the value placed on renting this was ?3.75 million.
:03:28. > :03:30.Along with office rental in this area, it's going up 15%.
:03:31. > :03:34.That's not the actual bill, the bill is based on the poundage,
:03:35. > :03:37.the rate levied on each pound of the valuation.
:03:38. > :03:40.That's roughly half the annual rental cost.
:03:41. > :03:44.In the case of the BBC, ?2.1 million from April.
:03:45. > :03:46.That's quite a hike, but in the tourism sector,
:03:47. > :03:53.That hotel across the Clyde, its rateable value is going up
:03:54. > :03:58.around 50%, the bill will be around ?570,000 per year.
:03:59. > :04:01.There are catches around this, big properties pay a supplement,
:04:02. > :04:06.and 100,000 smaller properties are exempt.
:04:07. > :04:15.In total, ?2.8 billion this year, that is to pay the government bills,
:04:16. > :04:20.Business isn't going to pay more in total, it will just pay different
:04:21. > :04:22.shares depending on properties that have risen or fallen
:04:23. > :04:30.Some will pay more and some will play less.
:04:31. > :04:35.Those who pay less tend to make less of a fuss.
:04:36. > :04:37.Three Labour-run councils are going to freeze the basic
:04:38. > :04:39.rate of council tax - even though this adds
:04:40. > :04:42.South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde councils all decided
:04:43. > :04:45.against increasing bills for the majority of local residents.
:04:46. > :04:47.But the move leaves them open to criticism
:04:48. > :04:59.Our local government correspondent Jamie McIvor reports.
:05:00. > :05:06.In Glasgow the basic rate of council taxes going up by 3%, and just
:05:07. > :05:10.territory campaigners gathered here as councillors took the decision.
:05:11. > :05:13.Many campaigners say they are unhappy with the weight some
:05:14. > :05:18.councils are acting saying they would like to see councils do more
:05:19. > :05:23.to fight cuts and say the Scottish and UK governments should take some
:05:24. > :05:28.blame for cuts to local services. That is the situation here in
:05:29. > :05:32.Glasgow. Three other labour led councils confirmed they would not be
:05:33. > :05:37.putting up the basic rate of council tax, the strategy could be risky
:05:38. > :05:41.anti-austerity campaigners could argue a council which does not put
:05:42. > :05:46.up tax is not doing all it can to try to mitigate cuts locally while
:05:47. > :05:49.the Scottish government could say a council which does not put up
:05:50. > :05:50.council tax can hardly complain about how much government funding it
:05:51. > :05:52.is getting. Four people have been
:05:53. > :05:55.arrested in Slovakia as part of an investigation into human
:05:56. > :05:57.trafficking, which also saw the arrest of five people
:05:58. > :05:59.in Glasgow last week. The operation has so far
:06:00. > :06:02.uncovered sixteen possible victims of trafficking,
:06:03. > :06:05.with officers from Police Scotland, Slovakian Police and Europol
:06:06. > :06:07.involved in the raids Glasgow University has been granted
:06:08. > :06:14.planning permission by the city council for a one billion
:06:15. > :06:18.pound redevelopment project. It will see the university expand
:06:19. > :06:21.into the old Western Infirmary site The plans include new research
:06:22. > :06:25.and teaching buildings. Its 19th century tower may be one
:06:26. > :06:34.of the city's famous landmarks, but Glasgow University has a whole
:06:35. > :06:36.variety of buildings, old and modern, spread
:06:37. > :06:40.around University Avenue, Now the Western Infirmary next door
:06:41. > :06:47.has closed and the university wants to transform that site from one
:06:48. > :06:52.where patients of the past were treated, to a centre pioneering
:06:53. > :06:56.cure is for patients of the future. That vision, though,
:06:57. > :06:57.spreads far beyond just Mixing it up, they say,
:06:58. > :07:05.could bring the rewards. Here we would produce
:07:06. > :07:08.a campus that is innovative and Glasgow University will be
:07:09. > :07:11.at the centre of that translation of research for economic
:07:12. > :07:15.activity in Scotland, driving care industries like quantum
:07:16. > :07:21.technology and precise medicines. As well as prestigious research,
:07:22. > :07:24.universities are competing to attract students
:07:25. > :07:27.from around the world. They have doubled the number
:07:28. > :07:29.of international students here in recent years,
:07:30. > :07:32.so there will be new lecture theatres and study areas
:07:33. > :07:37.to encourage more. West end shops saw a dip in trade
:07:38. > :07:40.with the closure of the hospital and there have been some objections
:07:41. > :07:43.to the proposal with concerns new on-campus shops and cafes
:07:44. > :07:45.will take trade, rather Concerns the University
:07:46. > :07:52.is keen to calm. We think it will actually create
:07:53. > :07:56.an extra buzz that will attract more We really want it to be
:07:57. > :08:03.part of this community. Where we are standing now
:08:04. > :08:05.will be a new Square. It will be a square similar
:08:06. > :08:08.to many of the other large We want that to be used
:08:09. > :08:12.by the university, but also Outside of graduation,
:08:13. > :08:18.you will not see many members of the public wandering round this
:08:19. > :08:21.part of the University. This is the preserve
:08:22. > :08:24.of students and professors. But the development plan
:08:25. > :08:26.will last ten years. But five years from now,
:08:27. > :08:29.that square down the hill should be in place and handier for everyone,
:08:30. > :08:32.whether your degree is from here The Motherwell boss and Scotland
:08:33. > :08:40.assistant manager, Mark McGhee, could be in trouble again
:08:41. > :08:46.with his part-time employers at the Scottish
:08:47. > :08:49.Football Association. McGhee was sent
:08:50. > :08:51.to the stands during his side's Afterwards, he said a match
:08:52. > :08:54.official had an "agenda" It was enough to make
:08:55. > :09:02.a manager's blood boil. With his team already 4-0
:09:03. > :09:04.down and on their way to an even bigger defeat,
:09:05. > :09:08.a clearly furious Mark McGeeney is sent to the stands
:09:09. > :09:13.by the referee. The dismissal came about
:09:14. > :09:15.on the advice of the fourth I was horrified by the attitude
:09:16. > :09:32.the fourth official took. I wasn't getting excited about
:09:33. > :09:34.the fact we were losing the game. I wasn't losing my
:09:35. > :09:36.patience or tempter. But from the first minute
:09:37. > :09:51.the fourth made up his mind. If the attention of a police
:09:52. > :09:57.officer was unwanted, Mark McGhee's evening got worse
:09:58. > :10:01.when he got up to the stands to find It's not just that outburst that
:10:02. > :10:13.could land the assistant manager When asked if he would consult the
:10:14. > :10:25.head referee... McGhee has already served a two
:10:26. > :10:27.match ban this season for insulting or abusive language towards a match
:10:28. > :10:34.official in November. It was a miserable night
:10:35. > :10:37.all round for Motherwell who shipped seven goals to Aberdeen,
:10:38. > :10:40.the pick of which came from on loan But it's his words post match that
:10:41. > :10:49.might yet hurt the manager more. Following McGhee's comments
:10:50. > :10:50.we contacted Motherwell, the Scottish Football Association
:10:51. > :10:52.at the National Stadium, and senior figures from the refereeing world,
:10:53. > :10:58.none of whom wanted to comment for fear of prejudicing
:10:59. > :11:01.a possible disciplinary case. But it's clear the SFA who employs
:11:02. > :11:05.Mark McGhee as assistant manager to the national team,
:11:06. > :11:15.will want a full explanation. Let's get the weather outlook
:11:16. > :11:29.for tonight and tomorrow now, Cold tonight, colder than last night
:11:30. > :11:37.with clear spells, frost and mist and fog. The reason being a ridge of
:11:38. > :11:40.high pressure on the charts, a warm front so thick cloud and a few spots
:11:41. > :11:46.of rain tonight and tomorrow morning. Elsewhere, dry tonight and
:11:47. > :11:51.tomorrow but a murky morning, low cloud, mist and fog across the
:11:52. > :11:54.southern uplands and into the central belt. Milder with a warm
:11:55. > :12:02.front, thicker cloud and spots of rain for the Hebrides but elsewhere
:12:03. > :12:06.dry and cool. Further north, towards Murray, Inverness, morning sunshine,
:12:07. > :12:12.similar for Orkney and if you passing showers likely across
:12:13. > :12:15.Shetland. Through tomorrow, the sunshine across the North and
:12:16. > :12:18.north-east will be short lived in places because this weather front
:12:19. > :12:25.will edge its way eastwards, little in the way of rain bringing cloud
:12:26. > :12:30.further east, brighter moments over the Lothians and towards the eastern
:12:31. > :12:33.borders. Across the UK, that ridge stays in place keeping things
:12:34. > :12:35.largely dry, you can see the weather front meaning a band of cloud down
:12:36. > :12:41.largely dry, you can see the weather the spine of the country, outbreaks
:12:42. > :12:47.of rain in the Irish Sea and Wales and Cornwall, mild, temperatures
:12:48. > :12:50.around nine to 11 Celsius. Through tomorrow night, fairly cloudy, the
:12:51. > :12:54.around nine to 11 Celsius. Through breeze picks up on the West Coast
:12:55. > :13:01.and outbreaks of rain as the cold front follows on meaning Saturday
:13:02. > :13:06.gets off to a soggy start. And improving day, through the afternoon
:13:07. > :13:12.the rain tending to ease off turning more showery, brightness and where
:13:13. > :13:15.it does mild. 13 degrees. Sunday, generally a dryer Dave Romney off
:13:16. > :13:20.but outbreaks of rain across the North West. -- a dry day.
:13:21. > :13:24.Our next update is during Breakfast at 6:25am tomorrow morning.
:13:25. > :13:26.But from everyone on the late team here in Glasgow
:13:27. > :13:31.and around the country - goodnight.