Council bends to Swinney's budget offer

Under finance secretary John Swinney's proposal, the council was given the option of accepting a cut in its funding of around three per cent if it pledged to carry out a number of government objectives, or face a much more savage cut.

Councillor Ricky Henderson, finance spokesman for the Labour group on the council, said: "This year's local government settlement is an attack on democracy as well as an attack on local authorities."

And council leader Jenny Dawe said: "At the end of the day, we all agree we are faced with a situation where we have no choice but a letter (of acceptance] to John Swinney."

She said that the offer was "considerably better" than the original offer before talks had taken place between the Scottish Government and the Cosla all-party working group.