Scottish govt and councils on collision course

The Scottish Government and Scotland's councils are on a collision course after finance secretary John Swinney announced he was determined to introduce a freeze on council taxes for a second year although fresh funds will not be forthcoming.

Swinney told the SNP conference in Perth the government would introduce a second year's freeze, but he revealed afterwards there would be no fresh funds beyond the £70m already on the table, the Scotsman reports.

Steven Purcell, the Labour leader of Glasgow City Council, warned it would be ‘nigh on impossible’ to deliver a council tax freeze next year without extra government cash.

The row over council tax levels is said to be at risk from breaking apart the financial settlement for local government and the 'historic concordat' between central and local government.

Further reading:

Scotland’s council tax doomed

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