The SNP Government plans to replace the council tax with an income tax, set nationally at 3p in the pound.

Cathie Craigie MSP said:

"The SNP proposes a local income tax in Parliament this week. It is no such thing. It will be at least a 3p increase on the basic rate of income tax for all Cumbernauld and Kilsyth residents."

"Setting the tax nationally means we will be allotted all our money for local schools and services directly from Edinburgh, with no say from local representatives on what our needs and priorities are."

"Council tax does need reform to be a more progressive, but a 3p tax on incomes will leave a £750m gap after the removal of the council tax, seeing hardworking families with two earners paying more, but those who live on unearned incomes paying nothing."

"The SNP need to come clean on exactly how much a 3p increase in income tax will cost local people, and they need to answer how Cumbernauld and Kilsyth will get the best deal if all our local spending is decided by Edinburgh."