East Renfrewshire Council hopes to sell a rare number plate to the global pop superstar Harry Styles in an attempt to reduce its £30m budget gap.
The council owns the car registration plate HS 0, which was given to the old Eastwood District Council.
The local authority believes the registration plate could generate a six-figure sum due to its uniqueness. Most registration numbers start from 1, so the fact that the council's registration number contains zero on its own makes it extremely rare.
A council spokesperson said: ‘In light of the council's difficult financial situation all opportunities to generate income need to be considered. The sale of the council registration HS 0 presents the opportunity to generate a sizeable sum.
‘In current circumstances it would be imprudent not to consider the sale of something which serves no real purpose and which, arguably, would be viewed by many as an unnecessary extravagance.'
The local authority has named a number of people who might be interested in purchasing the number plate, including pop star Harry Styles and Strictly Come Dancing finalist and former Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton.
Councillors will consider the proposal to proceed with the sale of the registration plate at a cabinet meeting on 26 January. If agreed, plans will then be taken forward to sell the plate at auction.
