Glasgow City Council passes SNP budget following deal with Greens

Glasgow is in for a council tax freeze this year, as the ruling SNP administration was able to pass its budget following a last minute agreement with the Greens.

The spending plans also include extending on-street parking charges until 10pm every night, and a £1.5m investment to continue the children’s holiday food programme.

"Exceptionally difficult circumstances"

Council leader Susan Aitken said: “Councils are operating in exceptionally difficult circumstances, but my City Government’s focus will always be on transformational support for households living in poverty.

“Today, we have used the opportunity to set a three-year budget to create some space to redesign services, build our financial resilience and invest in and protect the services that Glaswegians rely on.”

£8m investment in roads, pavements, footpaths, cycleways and parks

The spending plans also include £8m to improve roads, footpaths, cycleways and in parks and open spaces.

Members also approved more than £23m of capital spending – including £7.2m on the roll out of better bin and recycling facilities; £5.6m to replace boilers and outdated lighting in council properties, and nearly £9m to fast track the conversion of old streetlights to efficient LEDs, reducing carbon emissions and generating cash savings in the future.

It comes after Scotland's finance secretary Shona Robison warned local authorities they will not receive money to cover a council tax freeze if they opt to increase the levy.

Labour says council tax freeze "the only option available"

Labour councillor Jill Brown said: "We are accepting the council tax freeze as well.

"In a state where our citizens are suffering from a cost-of-living crisis it is the only option available."

However she said the SNP/Green government at Holyrood had passed on "drastic cuts" to the local authority.

The SNP budget for the council included cuts to teachers, she said.

A report from officials said there was a £107.7 million spending gap over the next three years following the latest settlement from Holyrood.

Earlier this month Ms Robison, who is also the Deputy First Minister, asked all of Scotland's 32 councils to confirm their intentions on the council tax freeze by February 16.

However the budget processes of many councils are expected to continue beyond this point.

£144m for council tax freeze across Scotland "not enough"

Local authorities across Scotland have been offered £144 million in compensation for the SNP's council tax freeze policy, though the umbrella body for local governments has said this is not enough.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Deputy First Minister wrote to councils to ask for confirmation of their intentions on the council tax freeze by February 16 to inform stage two of the Scottish Budget.

"Ministers recognise that by that date, councils may still be finalising their council tax intentions and those will be subject to confirmation at council budget meetings in February and March."

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