Council tax freeze: Patrick Harvie says policy is 'not sensible' - but will still vote for the 2024/25 Scottish budget

The co-leader of the Scottish Greens says councils were ‘blindsided’ by the council tax freeze announcement from Humza Yousaf

The co-leader of the Scottish Greens says the council tax freeze is “not a sensible policy for the long term” – but he will still vote for the Government’s Budget.

Patrick Harvie said local authorities were “blindsided” by First Minister Humza Yousaf’s announcement at SNP conference in October last year to freeze council tax.

He said it wouldn’t have been the Scottish Greens’ choice, as they were not “wholly ecstatic” at the decision.

Patrick Harvie MSP, zero carbon buildings minister and co-leader of the Scottish Greens. Image: Jane Barlow/Press Association.

However, Mr Harvie said he and the other Green MSPs would still vote for the Government’s 2024/25 budget as it had the “most substantial” investment in tackling climate change.

“It’s not a sensible policy for the long term,” Mr Harvie told the Daily Record.

“It results in a local tax system that is even more out-of-date and out of kilter with the asset wealth that’s there.”

It comes as the Government minister said a timescale for “fundamental” council tax reform would be unveiled in the coming weeks.

The timetable for reform is expected to be put forward during stage three amendments of the Budget Bill, it is understood.

“Partly as a result of what happened, and the reaction to the freeze, there will be a timescale agreed for fundamental reform,” Mr Harvie said.

"Local government are keen for that. They are quite rightly concerned about how the freeze was announced and the impact that will have on them. They are keen on the idea that we actually act together on reform.”

“The timescale is to be set out during the course of the Budget process. By the time we get to the final votes on the Budget, we expect to have details to be able to set out on the process.”

Mr Harvie said he was still pleased with the overall Scottish Budget, despite disagreeing with the council tax freeze.

He said: “There’s no secret of the fact we weren’t best pleased about that announcement at SNP party conference. It was one made at party-political level, and we were not wholly ecstatic.

“Every Budget is a very large, complex document, which will always contain things you are more or less enthusiastic about.

“But it contains the most substantial investment in the climate emergency ever seen, an uplift in the Scottish Child Payment the Scottish Government introduced and has increased in a way no other part of the UK has done, and moving ahead with progressive policies such as protecting tenants in the private rented sector from exorbitant rent rises.

“It is a really exciting time for the Greens to be part of that for a change.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government has set aside £144 million in the Scottish Budget to reach agreement, across local government, to deliver the council tax freeze support for households at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is putting significant strain on finances.

“We are committed to developing fairer, more inclusive and fiscally sustainable forms of local taxation and to re-energise our work to that end.

“We have convened a joint working group with Cosla on sources of local government funding, which is exploring a range of potential measures, including approaches to longer-term reform of council tax.”