I HAVE to say I was somewhat bemused by the comments of SNP Group Leader Elizabeth Robertson (‘Council tax agreement is welcomed’, March 22).

I had previously understood her position to be that she couldn’t oppose a nationally imposed council tax freeze as it was her party’s policy, and she also couldn’t be seen to turn down the £1.9m of funding on offer from the Scottish Government.

This funding of course was subsequently increased to £2.9m as the administrations of three small councils – Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute, and Orkney – indicated they were prepared to defy the government and raise council tax.

Now we find Councillor Roberston actually supports the principle of a council tax free. She said: “This incredible plan to hike bills during a cost-of-living crisis has now been soundly defeated.”

Has Councillor Robertson forgotten that in March last year, when the cost-of-living crisis was arguably at its peak, she voted for a 5.3 per cent increase in council tax and had indicted that her SNP group would have supported a bigger rise to protect more jobs and services?

Has Councillor Robertson forgotten that in August last year she voted in favour of the council’s council tax planning assumption of increases of seven per cent in both 2024/25 and 2025/26?

Has Councillor Roberson forgotten that in the summer of last year the SNP government consulted on increasing council tax for bands E to H by between 7.5 per cent and 22.5 per cent in 2024/25 before any local increase and that she was supportive of this?

Has Councillor Robertson forgotten that she sat open-mouthed at the SNP Conference when the First Minister made his announcement on the freeze?

Has Councillor Robertson forgotten that a nationally imposed council tax freeze was opposed by the SNP group on COSLA?

In January, following pressure from the party machine – or Stuart McMillan and Ronnie Cowan as they are more commonly known – the SNP group walked out of the council’s members’ budget working group as they were not prepared to support a public consultation on a council tax rise in 2024/25 unless their own alternative proposal of a freeze in 2024/25 and a 12 per cent increase in 2025/26 was consulted upon.

At the council meeting on February 1, they opposed the public consultation. The results of the consultation subsequently showed that 66 per cent of respondents would support a council tax rise of nine per cent to prevent cuts to services and jobs.

At the council meeting on February 29 the SNP group moved a one-year budget with a council tax freeze in 2024/25.

This was specifically to avoid indicating a large council tax rise for 2025/26, as this would have fundamentally undermined their argument that a freeze was necessary to help hard pressed families in a cost-of-living crisis, setting aside the fact that the poorest households in Inverclyde receive no benefit whatsoever from a freeze.

As an aside, I don’t recall Councillor Robertson uttering one word of objection to the 8.8 per cent increase in Scottish Water charges approved by SNP government ministers. This rise will hit low-income households hardest.

The cost-of-living crisis won’t be over by February next year. I very much look forward to seeing the SNP’s budget for 2025/26 and Councillor Robertson’s proposal on council tax.

Councillor Stephen McCabe

Elected Member

Inverclyde East (Ward 1)