THE public finds variations on charges by councils on services from school meals to cremations and parking permits "unfair or confusing", spending watchdogs have warned.

Audit Scotland found major discrepancies across Scotland's 32 councils on charges and has warned that costs for services must be consistent, benchmarked and easily explained to the public.

It cites pest control as being provided free in some areas but costing as much as £102 in others, while home care can range from £8.56-per-hour to £23.70.

Its report, Charging for services: are you getting it right?, also urges councils to implement charges in line with local needs and priorities, such as keeping gym and leisure services membership low in areas with poor health statistics.

But it warns that, while Scotland's 32 councils should compare their charges with others and be able to explain any significant differences, services are far from uniform, are tailored often to local needs and extremely difficult to compare on a like-for-like basis.

The report shows that local authorities are charging more for services in recent years amid pressure from falling Scottish Government grants, the council-tax freeze and an ageing population

Scottish Government data from councils shows they raise more than £1.3 billion a year through charges, accounting for 7.4% of their total revenue.

That figure has risen from 5.6% in 2003/04 and in the past year is the equivalent to more than half of the amount raised through council tax.

The increased importance of charges for services like adult social care, sports and leisure, planning and building consents comes also as councils face continuing financial pressures through increasing costs and public demands. Scottish Government funding to local authorities for 2013/14 is £9.9bn, down about 2.2% in real terms.

According to Audit Scotland, "there is therefore an increasing need for councils to examine potential sources of income, including charging more for their services".

John Baillie, chairman of the Accounts Commission, which commissioned the report, said: "It is important that councils have the ability to set appropriate charges for the services they provide but people also want to know exactly what they are paying for and that the charge is fair."

Shetland had the highest charges to council tax ratio due to the cost to the oil industry of using its harbours, followed by Orkney and the Western Isles, which also generate income from the ferry companies using their infrastructure.

Glasgow also had a high ratio, due to raising more charges from its businesses and tourism base.

Almost one-quarter of all income was generated by social work services, such as home care and meals on wheels charges, followed by roads and transport and charging income from activities such as licensing and registering births, deaths and marriages.

David O'Neill, president of the Cosla, which represents all 32 Scottish councils, said: "Councils are doing an excellent job of developing measured and proportionate charging regimes within very different local circumstances. This means that variation in charges between councils is often appropriate given different cost bases and local priorities."

Scottish Conservative local government spokesman Cameron Buchanan MSP said: "It's completely wrong that people in one area have to pay through the nose for one service, yet a few miles down the road this could be provided for free.

"I hope this study leads to a change in approach from local authorities so we can see some equality across the country."

A Scottish Government ­spokeswoman said: "Decisions on how much to charge for local services are for councils, not the Scottish Government, to take.

"The Accounts Commission's report sets out clear principles and good practice that should be helpful to councils, and we would encourage councils to take them into account in taking decisions about charging."