Council Budgets for 2013-14

That the Parliament recognises the efforts made by councils across Scotland in approving their budgets for 2013-14 during these difficult economic times; considers that councils face many pressures and challenges to live within their reduced budgets, just as the Scottish Government must live within the reduced block grant that it receives from the UK Government; welcomes particularly instances where attempts have been made to prioritise the needs of vulnerable members of society, and commends what it considers the growing number of councils agreeing with the Scottish Government to implement another year of the council tax freeze, which it believes is a significant step toward preventing people on low incomes from falling into poverty.