Brownlee: CoSLA should not be scaremongering over Council Tax freeze

Reports state a briefing paper from CoSLA warns that up to 1,500 teaching jobs could go to cover the cost of continuing the Council Tax freeze.

Derek Brownlee MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Sustainable Growth, said:

"CoSLA should not be scaremongering like this. It is wrong to equate the funds needed to continue our successful Council Tax freeze policy with any job losses. The real threat to jobs will emerge if we don't find significant savings in the public sector and help the private sector grow, to create the jobs of the future.

""Families are feeling the pinch of Labour's disastrous economic mismanagement and government should do what it can to help. As in previous years it should be up to individual councils to decide whether they will freeze or not, but they should have the option of doing so.

"Scottish Conservatives have already set out a range of measures that will save the Scottish Government money - a recruitment freeze and pay freeze in the public sector, changing the status of Scottish Water and not scrapping prescription charges. We have been prepared to lead the debate on difficult issues such as the need for graduates to contribute to higher education.

"It is these significant savings that could pave the way for a further Council Tax freeze, not teacher jobs. A much bigger threat to jobs will be Labour's plans for Council Tax rises."

The Scottish Conservatives have so far proposed the following savings:

A recruitment freeze, except for essential posts: cutting the recruitment rate by 3% could save £450m

Taking Scottish Water out of State control, e.g. mutualising: £140m

Keeping prescription charges for those who currently pay: £37m

Cutting absenteeism by 2% £138m

Total (so far)
£765 million every year

In addition, Scottish Conservatives have outlined proposals for a graduate contribution to further and higher education and proposals to integrate social care into the NHS budget

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