Glasgow and North Lanarkshire vote to freeze council tax

Plans outlined in Glasgow’s budget include:

The city’s budget was passed after a deal between the SNP and Green groups on the council.

Unions have protested against planned budget cuts to services in the city, saying they are already “on their knees”.

Council leader Susan Aitken backed the freeze.

She said: “We don’t have the powers in Scotland just now to address rampant inflation and mortgage rates.

“But we can choose not to pass an increase in this particular bill on to our residents during a tough time, even as we continue to argue for fundamental reform in local taxation.”

Drafting the budget had meant “facing some tough decisions head on”, she said.

Labour councillor Jill Brown said her party was accepting the freeze too.

She said: “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.

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