Image source, Getty Images

That's all from BBC Scotland's coverage of the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 22 January 2020.

Two delayed CalMac ferries are "significantly less than half built", it has been revealed.

The vessels being built at Ferguson shipyard are £100m over budget and likely to be three years overdue.

A Holyrood inquiry into the delay was told warnings the Inverclyde yard was not set up to build two ferries side-by-side were ignored.

Work got under way before designs were finalised and workforce morale was badly hit by the delay, the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee heard.

Natural Environment Minister Mairi Gougeon says the Botanics are a "real haven and hub for health and wellbeing".

The four gardens run by RBGE attract over a million visitors she says.

2020 is the International Year of Plant Health, the minister highlights, and she goes on to speak about the work on biodiversity the gardens undertakes.

Through innovative plant science, the gardens put Scotland at the forefront of responding to the climate emergency and biodiversity loss, Ms Gougeon says.

Image source, ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS EDINBURGH

A revamp of Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens has been given the go ahead despite fears over a new access point.

The £70m plans were approved by the city council's development management sub-committee.

They are "the most significant project in the gardens' history".

A new curved glasshouse, 20m in height, will be built with a multi-level walkway to house a "wider range of plant specimens" as well as a new visitor attraction.

Read more.

Image source, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has announced a year-long programme of events to mark its 350th anniversary.

The theme will be climate change and biodiversity loss.

Highlights include an expedition to Papua New Guinea in August to a birthday party for the public in June and gala concert in October.

Read more.

Jeremy Balfour says this debate allows MSPs to discuss the Royal Botanic Gardens' achievements and he welcomes Susie Huggins and Paula Bushell to the visitors gallery.

The Tory MSP reminisces he and his brother pretending to be Tarzan in the glass houses of the gardens.

He pivots to the pioneering research the Botanic Gardens undertakes and points out the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh ranks in the top four in the world.

"There is no doubt to the people of Edinburgh and Scotland the Botanics is a national treasure."

He cites the many people with mental or physical health issues who are helped by visiting the gardens.

With the climate change crisis the work of the gardens has never been more important, he adds.

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour is marking the 350th anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh with his member's debate.

The gardens began as Scotland's first physic garden in 1670 and was located in Holyrood Park.

It moved around Edinburgh a few times after that, before moving to its current location on the Inverleith area of the city in 1820.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The motion and both amendments are all defeated.

The Scottish government amendment is rejected.

61 MSPs backed it but 61 voted against, meaning Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh had the deciding vote.

As per parliamentary convention, he voted against - making the final tally 61 for and 62 against.

The Tory amendment is rejected, with 61 voting against and 55 for. There were six abstentions.

Labour's unamended motion is defeated with 55 for, 61 against and six abstentions.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant says her party introduced this debate to call for more investment in local services.

Ms Grant insists it is time to draw a line under cuts to councils and deliver a fair settlement.

She points out council cuts mean bus services are being taken away rather than being taken over.

The Labour MSP says job losses disappear under the radar when we are talking about local government.

Public Finance Minister Kate Forbes says anyone who fails to participate in the budget process fails local authorities.

Every party has the opportunity to bring forward fully costed proposals for the budget she insists.

Ms Forbes says the budget on 6 February will deliver the shared aims government has agreed with Cosla.

Our negotiations with local government are ongoing ahead of the budget, she says, adding the government stands ready to work with any opposition party.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Alexander Stewart says over the past 13 years the Scottish government has seen fit to cut local government funding to the bone.

It has asked councils to do more for less and last year it cut every single local authorities' budget when the block grant increased, Mr Stewart insists.

Over two thirds of councils are being forced to draw down on their reserves, the Tory MSP tells the chamber.

He points out each and every council has imposed at least a 3% rise in council tax and he accuses the Greens of making a dodgy deal with the SNP last year over the workplace parking tax.

Mr Stewart concludes saying: "It's time for councils to get a fair deal."

Image source, Getty Images

Councils in Scotland are to have the power to charge a levy on workplace parking under a new law passed by MSPs.

The new local tax power is part of a package of reforms to transport, including a shakeup of bus services and low-emission zones in cities.

An attempt by Scottish Labour to remove the parking levy aspect was defeated during a debate on Wednesday.

Read more.

Jamie McIvor
BBC Scotland local government correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Typically, the council tax accounts for roughly a fifth of a local authority's income.

Most of their money comes from the Scottish government and business rates while a small proportion comes from service charges.

However, any authority which does not go for a full council tax rise is, in effect, deciding to voluntarily forego some money. There are many reasons why they might do this.

Read more.

Image source, Thinkstock

Last March, councils were urged to make "fundamental changes" to the way they deliver services due to rising demand and changes to funding.

An Accounts Commission report said councils "face an increasingly complex, changing and uncertain environment".

The watchdog said local authorities must "think differently about how they deliver and fund services".

The government recognised there were "challenges" for councils, but said it had treated them "very fairly".

But opposition parties said the report underlined that local authorities need more cash and fund-raising powers.

Read more.

Public Finance Minister Kate Forbes asks what the Lib Dems' number one budget ask would be and what would it cost.

Mr Rennie replies the number one ask would be to follow through on the promises the SNP made on council budgets.

All that councils are asking for is for the Scottish government to promise and deliver, not just to promise, he says.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader says many of the promises made, such as on mental health counselling in schools or care services, are positive - but he says ministers are expecting councils to pick up the tab.

Image source, bbc

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says this debate is kind of a pre-budget warm up.

Mr Rennie says the Scottish government just can't seem to be straight about local government finance.

He tells the chamber there has been a reduction in the share of the budget councils get, leading to charges going up and services being cut.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader rehearses the argument about local government funding, pointing out the SNP say it has gone up but the commitments imposed on the council has also gone up.

That means a cut to the core local government funding in 2019/20 of £147m, he says.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay insists Green budget deals with the government have led to cuts to local government.

Mr Wightman replies these are not budgets a Green government would pass but at least his party participated in the budget rounds.

The Green MSP says the Conservative amendment has not been presented in good faith, nor has the party taken the budget process seriously.

He says his party will not support the Scottish government's amendment because it included misleading figures.

Image source, PA Media

Last April, BBC Scotland reported...

A new system of property tax and environmental charges should be introduced to boost Scottish council funding, according to a report.

The joint paper from Unison and the Jimmy Reid Foundation calls for a "fundamental review" of funding.

It recommends moving towards a "more progressive" system which would shift the burden onto property and land owners rather than council taxpayers.

The Scottish government said its own reforms would "empower" councils.

Mr Wightman says his party is proud to have secured a commitment to a fiscal framework for local government funding.

He says he is also proud that the Scottish Greens have delivered £420m more for local services in recent years than would otherwise be the case.

"In contrast Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories have postured endlessly but delivered nothing," he says.

The budgets since 2016 have not been perfect, they've not been Green budgets, he adds, but he insists they have been vastly improved by participation.