Another council tax freeze could sound a death knell for local authorities

The political benefit of John Swinney freezing the council tax before a tricky Holyrood election is obvious.
The First Minister wants to go into the campaign showing he has helped Scots with their bills during the cost of living crisis
Slamming the brakes on planned rises by town halls would be a popular move with voters sick of paying more for less.
But the impact of a freeze would be a disaster for public services and the locals who depend on state education, youth work, roads and leisure facilities.
Council services have been on their knees for years and the SNP Government is to blame.
Instead of allowing councils the freedom to set their own rates, SNP Ministers have for years paid town halls to freeze the tax - usually on the cheap.
A recent Audit Scotland report laid bare the funding pressures faced by local authorities.
Wage rises, higher employment national insurance costs and increased demand for services contributed to a £647m black hole in 2025/26 alone.
Imposing a freeze next year would lead to another toxic double dose of service cuts and user charges.
The First Minister should look in the mirror when the blame is handed out for the mess councils find themselves in.
As Alex Salmond 's Finance Secretary, he was the architect of the original council tax freeze policy.
He also helped persuade Humza Yousaf to announce a freeze in 2023 despite howls of anguish from councils, unions and centre-left politicians.
Local authorities are in desperate need of financial stability and an end to SNP Government short-termism based on generating headlines.
Yousaf 's council tax freeze was followed twelve months later by rises of over 15% - a farce that does not benefit anybody.
If a charge sheet was drawn up of SNP sins over the last 18 years, council under-funding would be close to the top.

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