COUNCIL leader Susan Aitken has blasted the UK Government’s decision to hold off revealing its budget until March – a move which is likely to force her Glasgow authority into setting council tax “in a vacuum”.

Chancellor Sajid Javid’s will unveil his spending plans on March 11, the same day Scottish local authorities legally have to set their tax rates.

“The impact on Scotland, on our citizens and our communities, is about the furthest thing from their mind,” Aitken said, labelling the move “unprecedented” and “unnecessary”.

She said the Scottish Government can’t set its budget “in a realistic way” until the UK Government has set its own budget and tax rates – meaning the Scottish Government can’t give out Glasgow’s funding allocation.

However, the Treasury said it was working with the Scottish Government to provide information, adding Nicola Sturgeon’s administration’s block grant will increase by £1.2 billion next year.

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Aitken said: “We’re already in challenging circumstances in the public sector when we’re deciding our budget and this just adds extra layers of difficulty.

“They’re basically forcing Scottish local authorities into a position where we have to set our council tax rates in a vacuum, blind, not knowing what our budget allocations are going to be.

“We can’t make the decisions we need to make strategically about where we allocate our resources.

“We’re forced into a position where we just have to make almost emergency decisions in order to make sure services keep going, our staff get paid and we fulfil our legal obligation of setting the council tax in time.

“That’s not a good position to be in, it’s not good for public services in Scotland.”

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) warned Javid of the risk facing Scottish councils as a result of the delay.

“The UK Government is putting thousands of essential public services at risk of going without funding,” said COSLA resources spokesperson Councillor Gail Macgregor, a Tory representative.

And Scottish Government Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said: “The UK Government gave no prior notice before announcing their budget date, showing complete disrespect for the Scottish Parliament and our budget process.

“The failure to publish its budget at an earlier time means we do not have clarity on the funding available for our schools, hospitals and other vital public services.”

Glasgow Central MP Alison Thewliss quizzed Javid in Parliament on whether he would apologise to Mackay for failing to tell him when the budget would be set.

She said there was “absolutely no certainty” the £1.2bn would be included.

Javid said: “Where Scotland has been let down time and time again is by the SNP Government which is giving Scottish people the highest taxes in the United Kingdom and the worst set of public services.”

And a Treasury spokesperson added: “Nothing stops the Scottish Parliament from passing their budget before the UK Budget.

“We are working with the Scottish Government as part of an agreed process to provide the information they need to prepare their budget.

“At the Spending Round, we announced that the Scottish Government’s block grant will increase by £1.2bn next year.”