The SNP has been accused of overseeing the loss of 22,000 council jobs since coming into power by campaigners.

Scotland in Union said its research shows that since the third quarter of 2007, the local government workforce has been reduced by 10%.

It blames this reduction on a failure to increase council budgets in line with inflation, leaving local authorities short-changed by more than £500m this year.

It that based on real terms rises, the local government budget for 2021/22 should have been £12.14bn rather than the actual £11.62bn.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: 'The SNP has taken an axe to local government services.

'It has short-changed councils of £500m for the year ahead and has overseen the loss of 22,000 jobs.'

The SNP said the financial package for this financial year will provide councils with an increase in day to day revenue spending of £335.6m.

A spokesperson said: 'The SNP has protected local authorities from cuts imposed by Westminster to the Scottish Government's resource budget of 7.8% since 2013/14. Councils in Scotland have experienced a cash-terms increase of 3.6% between 2013 and 2020.

'Whereas councils in England have suffered at the hands of the Tories with a cash terms reduction in their revenue funding of 14.7%.'