The Scottish Government is responsible for 7000 council job losses, a local authority umbrella group has claimed.

Cosla, which represents most local authorities in Scotland, links the loss of jobs to a £350m cut in funding from St Andrew's House.

Last month, local government finance watchdog the Accounts Commission said the country's 32 councils are heading to a £533m funding shortfall within the next two years.

The comments from Cosla come just over a week before the Scottish Government lays out its spending plans for the next financial year.

Cosla president David O'Neill said: "There were 7000 job losses arising from the £350m cut to Scottish councils last year.

"A further reduction in budget of similar proportions, on an already reduced base, will have even more severe consequences for job losses in councils and have a wider knock on effect for jobs within communities.

"The Scottish Government needs to remember that in many areas the council is the largest employer and therefore a cut in council jobs has a devastating knock-on effect for people and local economies.

He continued: "Any further reductions in funding for councils, combined with an expectation that statutory services such as education and social care are maintained, can only mean a disproportionate reduction in discretionary services such as economic development.

"A reduction in that support can only mean much less opportunity for job creation and a reduced opportunity to tackle inequality.

"This will have a detrimental impact on the local economies affected, especially in many areas still suffering from the financial downturn."

Scottish Labour deputy leader Alex Rowley said: "The SNP has slashed funding for local services, like schools and social care, which put the life chances of people across Scotland at risk.

"The SNP shouldn't use the Scottish Parliament as a conveyor belt for Tory austerity. We should use the tax powers of the parliament to invest in public services and give everybody a fair chance in life.

"Last year, the SNP cut £500m from local council budgets. This has had a direct impact on vital local services, like schools and social care.

"When the 2017 budget is unveiled later this month, councils could face further SNP cuts

A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said: "Audit Scotland last week published their independent report into council finances and found that local government had experienced the same reduction in funding as was imposed on the Scottish government by Westminster.

"It is therefore clear that local government has been treated very fairly despite the cuts to the Scottish Budget from the UK government.

"Local government finance settlements were maintained in Scotland on a like for like basis over the period 2012-16 with extra money for new responsibilities resulting in total settlements of £10.8bn in 2014-15 and of over £10.85bn in 2015-16."

She added: "The finance secretary will publish the Scottish draft budget later this month that will support our economy, tackle inequality and provide high-quality public services for all."