Counting the budget costs

Sir, – Finance Secretary Derek Mackay’s blatant attempt to once again disproportionately hit local authorities in his draft budget was perhaps part of the traditional political dance between the SNP and the Greens at budget time.

Patrick Harvie of the Greens is presenting himself as some kind of saviour of councils as he insists more money will be needed for them before he will approve the budget.

Holyrood’s own research centre, Spice, has shown not only will it cost cash-strapped councils £150 million to fund the public sector pay rises promised in Mr Mackay’s budget statement, but also the underlying impact of cuts has hit our local authorities four times as hard as the budgets of the departments run centrally by SNP ministers.

Perhaps instead of taking with one hand and giving back with the other, Messrs Mackay and Harvie could have sat down and got this agreed in advance. Only the most sceptical among us might imagine that all of this has already been agreed, and what is now playing out is simply the political equivalent of an old-fashioned wrestling match, with choreographed moves, and a prearranged outcome. Keith Howell. White Moss, West Linton.

Dundee City Council should make it quite clear that if one branch is closed in the city without prior agreement with the council, then the city treasurer will close any accounts Dundee has with the RBS