TRADE unions have called for local government reform ahead of today’s Budget.
Later on Wednesday, Finance Secretary Shona Robison is set to deliver the Scottish Budget in Holyrood.
The Scottish Government risks not passing the Budget – which could potentially lead to a snap election – should it not gather enough support from opposition parties.
Trade unions have also voiced their concerns ahead of the Budget, with priorities focused on council tax reform and funding for local government, council housing and public services.
The SNP’s trade union group – the party’s largest affiliate body – called on the Scottish Government to be “bold and committed” in addressing the needs of ordinary people, workers, and those with the least resources.
The group said it wanted to see Holyrood “address the projected £780 million shortfall in local authority finance by 2026/27”, as reported by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), as well as calling for “concrete moves” towards replacing council tax with a proportional property tax.
Barrow added at further funding in fire and safety services – and local and public services – was also “vital”.
He said: “Our fire and safety services also need a proper cash injection to protect them from further damage, as the Fire Brigades Union has been arguing strongly.
“Further investment in local and public services is also vital, as well as restoring previous promises to end peak fares and delivering free school meals.
“We recognise that both immediate and longer-term measures – including linked support for a Just Transition – are needed. That requires more income generation.
“A good start might be to reclaim up to £3 billion from an untargeted Small Business Bonus Scheme that the Scottish Government’s own data shows does little to support enhanced business outcomes.
Barrow added that making the Budget “bold” could help to bolster the case for independence.
He continued: “The Scottish Government needs to be bold and committed in its budgetary prospectus, and to put the needs and concerns of working people, local communities and the vulnerable front and centre.
“The case for independence is rooted in the need to use present powers to the maximum, while also exposing their significant limitations.”
'A council tax freeze is not enough’
Elsewhere, tenants’ union Living Rent called for housing and tax reform.
It comes amid reports that Robison will not impose a council tax freeze in the upcoming Budget, after it was announced by former first minister Humza Yousaf without prior consultation with local authorities.
Living Rent chair Aditi Jehangir told The National that the “priority” for the Budget needs to be funding for council housing.
“The last decades have seen the decimation of council housing, through a lack of funding, stock transfer and right to buy,” Jehangir said.
“Everyone is in agreement that Scotland needs more homes. Politicians can not talk about the need for more homes and declare a housing emergency in one breath only to refuse to fund council housing in the next.”
The union called on the Scottish Government to end the council tax freeze or risk “further hurting the poorest” that rely on local services the most.
Jehangir continued: “A council tax freeze is not enough to support tenants and with council tax hitting all homes it means less money paid by wealthy households and less money for public services that we desperately need.
“Councils are in dire need of funding and the wealthier households do not need more support right now. Freezing council tax will push councils to cut essential services back even further hurting the poorest that rely on them the most.”
Jehangir added that the Scottish Government also needed to introduce “strong, effective rent controls” which help to bring rents down.
“This government needs to invest more money in council housing and to ensure that councils are able to properly fund public services.”
‘Our public services are in crisis’
Meanwhile, the GMB union – which represents members across many different sectors – has called for social care workers to receive a minimum wage of £15 an hour, as well as urging council tax reform.
Louise Gilmour (below), GMB Scotland secretary, said: “Frontline local government services cannot recover without further investment. The council tax freeze must be ended. Local councils must be given the ability to set local rate themselves to address local needs.
“Only if the Scottish Government begins taking steps to replace or reform the council tax can local taxation be fairer, services better, and wealth redistributed.”
And Unison, a union which represents public sector workers, called for more funding to public services.
Lilian Macer, regional secretary for Unison Scotland, said: “Our public services are in crisis and desperately need more resources.
“With this Budget the Scottish Government should make full use of the powers they have to fund the services that Scotland needs as Unison and the STUC have been advocating.”
