This week we'll bring you BBC's The Social's take on the parties manifestos. 

Nathan begins with a look at the Lib Dems. 

• against any plans to "hoover up powers into Edinburgh" from local authorities
• local policing plans to be approved by local authorities 
• giving councils the powers to set local domestic and business taxation 

• a "fairer system of local taxation to replace the Council Tax" 

Image source, bbc

• against SNP proposal for review of local government
• increase in council tax in top two bands 
• capped increases in council tax, and protection for families in B and E and F homes 
• yet to outline full council tax reform choices, however the Conservative independent commission recommended the council tax freeze should end and rates should be allowed to change within upper and lower limits set by negotiation between local and central government 

• no reference to local government reorganisation in manifesto
• abolish the council tax 
• introduce a system based on the value of a property 
• empower local government and broaden the burden of local taxes through the devolution of tax raising powers including a tourist tax, land value tax and surplus from the crown estate

Image source, Thinkstock

• review of local government
• Scotland's four highest council tax bands are to pay more under new SNP proposals 
• the band E household pay about £2 per week more, and the average household in the highest band about £10 a week more to raise £100m a year for education 
• the council tax freeze will also end in 2017, with councils then able to increase the tax by up to 3% a year

Image source, bbc

Now this may be an election for Holyrood but its local government that is dominating the campaign trail today.

Questioned on whether she would look at cutting the number of councils in Scotland as part of a planned review, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she would "not rule anything out".

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said there would be "no reference" to local government reorganisation in Labour's manifesto, saying her focus was more on devolving powers from Holyrood to councils and communities.

Image source, bbc

Willie Rennie, the leader of the Scottish Lib Dems said it was "typical" of the SNP to try to "hoover up powers into Edinburgh".

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said the Tories had long argued that many "back-room functions" of councils could be shared, but said she did not support Ms Sturgeon's review.

The Scottish Greens have underlined their commitment to supporting unpaid carers by visiting Leuchie House National Respite Centre in East Lothian, external.

Manifesto pledges from the Greens include using new devolved powers to raise the carer's allowance by 50 per cent from £62 a week to £93, and looking at the creation of a Young Carer's Grant.

Image source, bbc

After visiting Leuchie House, Alison Johnstone, Health and Social Care spokesperson for the Scottish Greens and MSP candidate for Lothian, said:  "Scottish Greens have made care a central theme in this election as we see the need for bold action from Holyrood to recognise the undervalued role of carers in our society."  

Willie Rennie said it was "typical" of the SNP to try to "hoover up powers into Edinburgh".

The Scottish Lib Dem leader said: "What we need to be doing is not meddling around with the boundaries of councils. That's a distraction. What we should be doing is pushing powers right back down into communities."

Image source, bbc

Campaigning in Kirkwall, Mr Rennie also attacked the SNP for "paying lip service" to the challenges facing island communities.

He said the Lib Dems would give families and businesses help with ferry fares and restore discounts for air travel for business passengers, channel extra money to farmers and ensure every home had high-speed broadband.

Ms Davidson said the Tories had long argued that many "back-room functions" of councils could be shared, but said she did not support Ms Sturgeon's review.

The Scottish Conservative leader said: "We don't see the need at the moment to have a wholesale review of local authorities.

Image source, bbc

"We don't think that's good for service provision, we don't think it's good for people, to change the number of councils we have in Scotland, but we do want to see closer working between them.

Campaigning at Ace Winches in Turiff, Ms Davidson promoted her policies to support business, including a freeze in rates and additional funding for technical training.

Kezia Dugdale said there would be "no reference" to local government reorganisation in Labour's manifesto, saying her focus was more on devolving powers from Holyrood to councils and communities.

Ms Dugdale said: "That's the way to enhance local democracy and improve what happens at a local government level.

"We would do that for example around skills policy, where we can match the needs of young unemployed people with the job opportunities in any given community."

Campaigning at a housing site in Ravenscraig, the Scottish Labour leader said she would use Holyrood's new powers to support first-time buyers, and pledged to have 60,000 new houses built across the next term.

Questioned on whether she would look at cutting the number of councils in Scotland as part of a planned review, Nicola Sturgeon said she would "not rule anything out".

The SNP leader said: "The provision of our public services in terms of structures and governance in Scotland is changing. We now have new partnerships which bring health and local government together, so we've got to make sure the overall structure and governance reflects that change and the other changes under way.

"Structural change is less important that substantive changes - but you have to make sure the structures you have don't get in the way of those substantive changes."

Visiting a cider brewery in Dunbar, Ms Sturgeon set out a range of measures a re-elected SNP government would take to boost the rural economy, which she said was "key to Scotland's long-term success".

Local government and the economy have been the key topics for Scotland's politicians in a busy day on the Holyrood campaign trail.

Party leaders discussed whether there should be a review of the number of councils and health boards in Scotland after the SNP manifesto pledged to "look again" at how local services are structured.

Image source, bbc

• taxes should not be higher at all in Scotland
• introduce a new intermediate tax rate of 30% on income tax ranging between £45,300 and £55,000
• the higher rate of 40% to begin at the threshold of £55,000
• work closely with the UK government to identify companies that are not paying their fair share of tax

Image source, bbc

Image source, bbc

• against George Osborne's 40p higher rate threshold rise above inflation
• the current basic rate of income tax replaced with a rate of 18% for the first £7,500 of cash above the personal allowance
• a rate of 22% would be applied to income above £19,000, plus a new 43p rate, starting at £43,000
• 60p rate of income tax for Scotland's highest earners over £150,000

Image source, bbc

• against George Osborne's 40p higher rate threshold rise above inflation
• 1p increase in Scottish income tax rates
• when resources allow, to introduce a zero-rate of tax above the personal allowance
• a "fairer system of local taxation to replace the Council Tax".

Image source, bbc

Image source, bbc

• in favour of George Osborne's 40p higher rate threshold rise above inflation
• no planned changes to basic, higher or additional rates
• maintain the 45% rate of tax on those earning more than £150,000

Image source, bbc