Cash strapped local authorities are facing the prospect of massive council tax rises and huge service cuts to plug a £780m black hole.
They also said the near six per cent increase in Scottish Government revenue funding to councils “masks” problems. "The extent of the financial crisis facing Scotland's Councils was something I highlighted for months during the debate over Humza Yousaf's Council Tax freeze. “I call on the new First Minister to rule out any further centrally imposed freezes or caps on Council Tax and to remove all restrictions on the use of Councils' government funding to allow us the freedom to make the decisions we think are best for our own communities.
“Councils need to improve the way in which they present financial information, and do this in a clear, consistent and accessible way. The Accounts Commission calls on councils to increase the accessibility and transparency of publicly available budget information. This will allow for improved comparison between councils, particularly around key information including actions to tackle existing and future budget gaps, as well as savings plans.