Plans to scrap council tax in Scotland for a property tax have caused consternation, both north and south of the border. The long-awaited Burt report from the independent Local Government Finance Review Committee concluded council tax in Scotland should be replaced with a 1% tax on the value of all homes, almost doubling the bill in some households. The recommendation has not been welcomed with open arms by the Labour-led coalition government in Scotland, fearing a backlash from voters. Finance and public service reform minister, Tom McCabe, said: 'This is a substantive piece of work and will need careful consideration by the executive, Parliament, local authorities and the wider Scottish public. This is a sensitive and complex issue.' Meanwhile, the Lib Dems, who make up the coalition, said they remained committed to a local income tax . And Scotland's local authorities shied away from the subject. A COSLA spokesman said: 'It's a massive report. We will be considering its detail in due course.' Across the border, the proposals also met with concern. Shadow local government minister Caroline Spelman said: 'Just because house prices have risen doesn't mean local residents can afford higher taxes. These sinister Lib-Lab plans for weighty tax bills aren't welcome on doorsteps of England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.' But Dave Watson from union Unison,said: 'Unison has argued consistently that a property-based tax is fairer for working people and more difficult to evade than local income tax.' The committee, led by Sir Peter Burt, was commissioned by the executive in 2004 to look at local taxation. However, the report's publication last week was not the only uncomfortable moment for Mr McCabe. He was also accused of running scared when he reportedly dropped out of a debate on the Howat review into the Scottish Executive's budget to carry out 'ministerial business
