Why Humza Yousaf's pledge was one for the 'cheap seats' as council tax should not be frozen, but reformed - Louise Gilmour

It was one of the bigger rabbits being pulled from the first minister’s hat in Aberdeen on Tuesday, but advisers will have noticed the customary standing ovation was slow in coming while some ministers sitting beside him on stage looked more ashen-faced than adulatory.

Perhaps they, like the rest of us, realised their beaming leader had just inflicted another heavy blow on councils already struggling to deliver the everyday services our communities are built on.

There was no comment on how local authorities are meant to cope with another tax freeze as their costs soar or how services, already hollowed-out after years of spending curbs, will be protected. The Scottish Government’s willingness to fill some of the financial shortfall remains a matter for discussion apparently.

In previous speeches, but not this one, Yousaf made combatting the impact of poverty his Government’s priority. So why freeze council tax to gift middle-earners a tax break while risking staff and services securing the lives of our most vulnerable?

It is our poorest neighbourhoods where help is needed most and where the pain is disproportionately felt when councils are compelled to seek savings.

The First Minister’s council tax freeze might be a bonus for the middle-classes, but is politics for the cheap seats. We deserve better.

Our councils, who had apparently been given no warning of his big reveal, need no more financial strictures. They need reform of a broken and unfair local tax system that falls into increasing disrepair with every year that passes.

Of course, the SNP promised exactly that kind of reform ten years ago before ministers hoofed the idea so far into the long grass, it is still tumbling through the air.

Instead of the difficult, but necessary structural change needed to properly underpin our local government in the long term, we got a procession of hit-and-run ministerial announcements chasing cheap applause and easy headlines.

Meanwhile, our councils stagger from one financial crisis to another while, on stage, our First Minister enjoys another ovation.

His tax freeze might have thrilled one besotted delegate, but no other Scots relying on council services – and that is every one of us – should be shouting for joy.

- Lousie Gilmour is the GMB Scotland secretary