LOCAL government body Cosla has said there is “absolutely no agreement” on Humza Yousaf’s announcement to freeze council tax next year.
The organisation described the move by the First Minister as “deplorable” and said it had no prior warning.
It launched an emergency meeting of political group leaders on Wednesday and said “real anger” had been expressed.
A statement said: “There is absolutely no agreement to freeze council tax next year.
“The announcement of a council tax freeze as we said yesterday was made completely without reference to local government and there is no agreement to freeze council tax next year, the decision to freeze council tax is one which can only be made by councils.
“Our cross-party group leaders held an emergency meeting first thing this morning on the back of the announcement and there is real anger at the way this has been handled and what it puts at risk.”
The group added that it had called for an urgent meeting with the First Minister and his deputy Shona Robison.
The statement added: “We deplore the way the announcement was made and its substance, both of which fly in the face of the Verity House Agreement which we all recently signed.
“It has been shown that previous council tax freezes have been regressive, having no impact for the poorest in society and eroding the council tax base, compounding councils’ ongoing underfunding.
“We will explore the implications arising and what the Scottish Government might propose when we meet with the Deputy First Minister later today – but we are clear that local taxation and particularly council tax should be left for democratically elected councils to determine.”
The Verity House Agreement sets out the relationship between the Scottish Government and Cosla.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Yousaf said: "We will make sure councils are funded by the government for that council tax freeze.
"Let's be frank with each other, we're living in a cost of living crisis.
"I, in my constituency surgeries, see people who are on above average salaries come to my constituency offices and ask for financial help. People who are nurses, who are police officers, who are teachers.
"Therefore it is right that in this cost of living crisis we try to help them with bills that are rising and rising and rising. One bill we are able then to help with is the council tax."
The Scottish Government has been contacted for further comment.
The Scottish Greens also expressed concerns about the move, saying they were worried about the effect it might have on “already strained frontline public services” if it is not properly funded.
The party’s finance spokesperson Ross Greer (above) MSP said: “Our local councils and people who rely on services like social care, schools and early years centres must not lose out as a result of this announcement.
“Green MSPs will now work with our government colleagues in the SNP to work through the details, ensure that their decision is sustainably finances and that the most vulnerable people in our communities do not see the services they rely on being underfunded as a result.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The freeze announced yesterday, fully funded by the Scottish Government, will benefit every Council Tax-payer in Scotland at a time when rising prices are putting significant strain on household finances.
“The Scottish Government remains wholly committed to the Verity House Agreement, and as part of that are continuing work with COSLA on a new fiscal framework for local authorities. We are also working on longer term reforms to the council tax system, which are being considered by the working group on local government funding that we are chairing jointly with COSLA.
“Both the First Minister and Deputy First Minister are meeting local authorities as a priority to discuss their concerns.”
