The SNP will propose council tax be frozen this year in Glasgow as the council leader has confirmed the administration will accept the funding terms to keep the tax at last year’s level.

The deal which sees councils receive a share of £144 million to fund a 5% rise, also includes cash to recognise areas with higher council tax reduction rates.

Writing in the Glasgow Times tomorrow, Susan Aitken said Glasgow will implement the freeze to help households with the cost of living.

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Aitken said: “By accepting the Scottish Government’s offer of funding to freeze Council Tax at current levels, we can ensure that this at least is one less cost increase households have to worry about while they’re still struggling daily with the cost-of-living crisis.”

The freeze will be in the SNP budget when it is presented later this month but needs others to support it.

The council leader added: “I appeal to all the other parties in the City Chambers to reject the political games we’re seeing play out in some other areas and put Glaswegian households first.”

Humza Yousaf announced the freeze last year at the SNP annual Conference.

While some have argued it will help families with the cost of living, others have said it will deny councils the funds needed to protect vital services. 

The Scottish Government confirmed the method of distributing the cash which means Glasgow will get £1.8m more than the simple share of a 5% rise calculation.

Councils that implement the rise will get a share of funding equivalent to a 5% national rise once Council Tax reduction is taken into account.

Or, if it is higher, distribution based on how much they would hypothetically raise if the Council Tax Reduction Scheme did not exist.

In Glasgow’s case, it is higher and will see £15.4m allocated instead of £13.6m.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government has allocated £144m in the 2024-25 Scottish Budget to fund a national council tax freeze. This is based on a 5% increase to the 2023-24 national council tax revenues.

“Ministers propose to allocate an amount to each council based on the proportion of national council tax revenues they raise.”

Susan Aitken's Column will appear in the Glasgow Times tomorrow.