FUNDING for councils is to be frozen for the next four years according to the spending plans published by the Scottish Government.

Kate Forbes, finance secretary, set out the Spending Review up until 2025/26 and said the government was prioritising health and social care, education and tackling climate change.

Forbes said that her choices were limited as a result of budget decisions taken at Westminster and said she can only spend largely what the Scottish Government receives in the block grant from the UK Government.

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The review included an increase in cash terms for health and social care, education and net-zero and transport.

Health and social care was estimated to go from £17.1bn in this year to £18.536bn in 2025/26 the last year before the next Scottish Parliament election.

Education is set to rise from £2.927bn to £2.963bn by 2026 and again to £3.472bn the year after.

For local government though, the amount of cash expected to be allocated will stay at £10.616bn in each of the next four years.

The cash will be allocated to Scotland’s 32 local councils based on an agreed formula with local government body Cosla

The finance secretary said: “Funding available for investment in public services through the rest of this parliament is currently constrained.

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“As a result of escalating inflationary pressure, the Scottish Budget for this current year was already reduced in real terms by 5.2% relative to the previous year.”

With inflation currently at almost 10% it has been described as “a real terms cut”, by LibDem MSP Liam McArthur.

Forbes said: “The review gives local government clarity. This is not a budget. I can only spend what is allocated to me.

She added: “We have treated local government fairly.”

Tacking child poverty and social justice is to see an increase in spending from £35m to £97m over five years.

A £20m spend is included for an independence referendum in the year 2023/24.

The Tories said this should be “taken off the table”.

Daniel Johnson, Labour finance spokesperson, said: “Scots have been paying the price of the SNP’s warped priorities and disastrous incompetence for years, and now things are set to get even worse. 

“Scotland deserves better than managed decline from this tired government – we need real ambition to get our economy back on track.”

Liz Smith, Conservative finance spokesperson, said: “They (Scottish Government) must commit to bringing Scottish income tax levels back on a par with the UK, so that Scotland is no longer the highest taxed part of the country.

“They must address the ever-growing skills gap that is stifling our productivity. And they must take an economically devastating independence referendum off the table, to finally prioritise Scotland’s economic growth.”