I SEE that Stuart McMillan MSP is once again using his Holyrood Message column to make party political points, in this instance to defend the First Minster’s announcement of a council tax freeze at his party conference in Aberdeen (October 23).

As Mr McMillan knows only too well, the strongest criticism of this announcement has not come from the Labour Party but from councillors of all political parties and none across Scotland, including the SNP president of COSLA, who expressed real anger about the way this matter had been handled by the First Minister and the regressive nature of a freeze, which benefits most those who can afford to pay a bit more to protect vital local services.

Councillors from the SNP’s coalition partners the Scottish Greens have been particularly vocal in their opposition to the decision of the First Minister to undermine local democracy and the Verity House Agreement he signed only in June.

Mr McMillan can take some comfort from the fact that the freeze is supported by his former colleague Chris McEleny and the Alba Party.

In criticising the Labour Party Mr McMillan points to Keir Starmer’s proposal for a council tax freeze in England and Scottish Labour’s opposition to the council tax banding changes proposed by the Scottish Government.

With all due respect, devolution allows Labour in England and Labour in Scotland to have different policies on matters like council tax.

And the First Minister has now decided against changing the council tax band weightings, which would have seen increases of up to 22.5 per cent in one year for a quarter of the households in Inverclyde, due to 90 per cent of the responses to the consultation being against them.

Scottish Labour’s opposition to the banding changes did not, and should not, imply support for a centrally imposed council tax freeze.

That is the crux of the matter.

If Mr McMillan genuinely believes that a council tax freeze in 2024/25 is the best use of precious government funding and is in the best interests of the people of Inverclyde, he should make that case to local councillors, including his eight colleagues in the SNP group, and allow us to make the democratic decision we were elected to take.

Councillor Stephen McCabe

Leader of the Council

Elected Member Inverclyde East (Ward 1)