The Deputy First Minister has been warned more cuts to council staff will have “serious consequences” for communities.

Shona Robison is revealing her first budget as finance secretary today, with expectations that there will be jobs going in the public sector.

Robison said: "We have a policy of no compulsory redundancy, and that policy will remain.

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"The work we will do with our unions and public sector bodies and organisations is to make sure that if we are looking to change the size and shape of the public sector, we do that in partnership with our unions.

"So, there will be no compulsory job losses here. We will do it in a way that is done in partnership and that we manage to reduce the size of the public sector in an orderly way, that manages to reduce cost but not at the expense of compulsory redundancies."

A Council Tax Freeze is also planned and Cosla, representing the country’s 32 councils, said it must be fully funded.

Steven Heddle, Cosla Vice President, said: “Unless it is funded with additional money for each council that allows them to fund their planned council tax increases, then it is not fully funded, and it will be our service users who will suffer as a consequence."

Councils say they need at least an extra £300m to keep council tax at the same rate.

Mr Heddle added: "Cosla knows that Scottish Government is under pressure financially around this budget.

"However, the council tax freeze came out of the blue and has serious financial implications.

"And any suggestions that local government's workforce needs cut further will have serious consequences for communities."

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Meanwhile anti anti-poverty campaigners are calling for £58 million investment to raise the Scottish child payment from £25 to £30 per week.

John Dickie, Director of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, said: “Struggling families desperately need a budget that will provide immediate support as well as help meet statutory child poverty targets. Increasing the Scottish child payment to £30 is a cost-effective investment that would provide much needed financial support to the lower income families who get little if any benefit from the proposed council tax freeze.”

Speculation Robison could introduce a new higher tax rate for people earning over £75,000 has led to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, stating further tax rises would be “very disappointing”.

Robison hit back and said Sunak “had a bit of a cheek” and accused him of electioneering ahead of a possible General Election early next year.