CAN I respectfully suggest to the various forms of nationalist who are pursuing me on the Council tax freeze (‘Leader should answer question on council tax’, May 3) that they are flogging a dead horse.

The architect of the latest freeze has fallen on his sword.

The arrogance he showed to Scotland’s 32 democratically elected councils was mirrored in his treatment of the Scottish Greens and he has paid the ultimate political price for that.

Mind you at least Elizabeth Robertson, Stuart McMillan, Ronnie Cowan and other local SNP activists and councillors will have those lovely photographs outside the Municipal Buildings celebrating the national council tax freeze to remember Humza by.

Although his successor is the architect of the original council tax freeze in 2008, I am confident John Swinney will not repeat the mistake of Mr Yousaf.

He will know that Scotland’s councils are in a financial crisis, as highlighted in the recent report by the Accounts Commission on SNP-led Falkirk Council and that any further council tax freezes would be sheer madness.

Your regular correspondent ‘Name & address supplied’, who appears to have defected from the SNP to Alba, criticises me for not explicitly responding Chris McEleny’s question on the council tax freeze but instead referring him to my letter of March 19 to the Deputy First Minister, Shona Robison.

In my defence, at least I replied to Mr McEleny’s letter, while the SNP group leader has chosen to ignore him. In hindsight I should have perhaps taken the same decision as Councillor Robertson.

For the sake of transparency however, and to avoid the need for your correspondent to visit the council’s website, here is the relevant paragraph from my letter of March 19 to Ms Robison: 'With regards to actual budget decisions that will be required by February 2025, I will be prepared to recommend to the council that the band D council tax, and thereby all bands, is reset to its 2023/24 level before any uplift for 2025/26 is applied. This is subject to the following conditions: 1. Confirmation from the Scottish Government at that time that our share of the £147.3m will be baselined for 2025/26 onwards; 2. Confirmation from the Scottish Government at that time that our share of the £62.7m will be baselined for 2025/26 onwards; and 3. Confirmation from the Scottish Government at that time that there will be no nationally imposed council tax freeze or cap for 2025/26.”

I trust your correspondent and the thousands of Tele readers who were desperately waiting on this confirmation will now be happy.

Councillor Stephen McCabe

Leader of the Council

Elected Member Inverclyde East (Ward 1)