Transparency?

So there you go. The SNP is promising a council tax freeze over the next two years. Interesting.

Presumably they will provide local authorities with the additional resources (£70 million last year) required to maintain services. If so, what would that mean for the rest of the Scottish expenditure block which is already likely to be hard pressed as a result of the cuts? Expecting an answer before next May's election? Not a chance. They will nevertheless be obliged to produce a budget for 2011-12, but it is likely to conceal more than it reveals.

Like the question of what to do about university fees. We are promised a green paper later this year. This will no doubt set out the options, but don't expect anything like a policy to emerge before the election.

Incidentally, what has happened to that erstwhile SNP flagship, the local income tax? I suppose that it all proved too difficult and is now abandoned (buried in a shallow grave along with the independence referendum).

Not exactly reassuring, is it?