The Scottish finance secretary has hinted that council tax bills would be frozen for another year despite concerns over cuts to public services. Ahead of his announcement of the Scottish Government's draft budget for 2010/11, John Swinney said he was ‘very confident' of freezing council tax for a third successive year. This followed the Scottish Government's warning that it would have £500m less to spend this year as a result of the UK efficiency drive. Swinney said the Government's forthcoming proposals would centre around two principal areas: the protection of frontline services and the promotion of economic recovery. ‘I'd be very confident the council tax freeze could be achieved again,' he explained. Mr Swinney also called on the Government's opposition parties to support the budget proposals after they were rejected last year in the Scottish parliament. It is believed that the finance chiefs of Scottish councils are preparing their own local budgets on the basis of another year's freeze.