Grow the economy, cabinet secretary. You cannot say—

After the low-growth, anti-job autumn budget from the UK Labour Government, many stakeholders hoped that the Scottish Government and the Scottish budget would deliver the support that public services are crying out for right now—none more so than councils, which have spent the past decade having to deal with a long series of real-terms cuts, while being asked to deliver ever more services. Reports by SPICe show that, over the past 10 years, total local government funding has fallen as a percentage of the Scottish Government’s budget. The consequences of that are clear to see.

Cabinet secretary, you have systematically—

I will, once I have made some progress.

Last year’s Local Government Information Unit survey asked senior council representatives whether they thought that the current level of local government finances was sustainable. Not one respondent said yes. That was unprecedented. On top of that, respondents from 23 councils indicated that, given the balances that they had, they would find it really difficult to pass a balanced budget in at least one of the next five financial years.

This year’s reports by Audit Scotland and the Accounts Commission paint an even more concerning picture. They make it clear that the situation is unprecedented—councils face uncertain futures and are uncertain about where the opportunities are to enable them to balance their budgets. The scale of the uncertainty means that only around half of councils have long-term financial plans in place.

I will take the cabinet secretary’s intervention.

Over the past 10 years, you have systematically—

—removed millions and billions of pounds from local government. None of that paints a picture of a Scottish Government that has the interests of local government at its heart.

As it stands, councils across Scotland are sceptical about what the budget means for long-term council funding. Indeed, COSLA has made it abundantly clear that budgets will not receive the impact that is required to improve services.

No, thank you, Mr McMillan.

We all know what is happening across our constituencies and regions. Members will no doubt be well aware of examples of funding being squeezed from their constituencies and regions. In my region, Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Clackmannanshire councils have all been forced to cut numerous services to deal with the increasing pressures on budgets in recent years. Key services have been stripped back over the past few years. Funding for local halls and libraries has been slashed, and funding for opportunities in relation to leisure is under huge strain.

We have been talking about the uncertainty in relation to employer national insurance contributions. The cabinet secretary has indicated that there will be a 60 per cent uplift, but that is still not enough. Percentages will still be added on to council taxes, because the gap has not been filled. There will be additional costs for the partner organisations that deliver services, as well as for the councils themselves.

At the beginning of the year, COSLA and the Scottish Government talked directly to the UK chancellor about support. However, months on, we have still not got the full package. I suggest that the cabinet secretary and the Government continue to work on the issue.

Over the past 18 years, the SNP Government has demonstrated that it does not see local government as one of its priorities, that it does not see businesses as one of its priorities and that it does not see communities as one of its priorities. Despite talking a big game, it has never been the case that the SNP has put its money where its mouth is.

This is the Government that announced a brand-new relationship with local government and promised that there would be better engagement and better budgetary processes. That has not happened. We have seen a squeeze on local government, and every council across Scotland will have to put up council tax in the next few weeks. We talk about the Verity house agreement, but we are still looking for the warm aspects of this Government.

It is high time that the SNP Government recognised the value of the role that councils play in our communities across Scotland. It is also time for it to deliver a commonsense budget that shows councils the respect that they deserve in looking after communities.

It is time for individuals to stand up. The SNP is failing individuals and communities, and Scottish people are having to pay the price. The SNP has failed business, communities and councils. Those are among the many reasons why I will not support the budget bill at stage 1.

Sarah Paterson, do you want to add anything, or are you content with what has been said?

It appears that the process is disadvantaging institutions and that they are struggling to cope with the parameters that are being set. That must have a massive impact on the students who are trying to go through the processes. My question is for Sai. If the institutions cannot get clarification, it must be even harder for the students to process some of that and come through the minefield that is in front of them in order to progress.

Sai, perhaps we could hear your views on that.