SNP councillors are to discuss the possibility of a second independence referendum at their autumn conference.
The topic 'indyref2' has appeared as an item on the agenda for the meeting of Association for Nationalist Councillors, as speculation mounts over the possibility of a second vote.
Nicola Sturgeon has said the SNP manifesto for next year's Holyrood election will set out "what we consider are the circumstances and the timescale on which a second referendum might be appropriate."
Councillor Greg McCarra, secretary of the councillors' grouping, admitted that a second referendum was a hot topic of conversation in SNP circles but said the organisation would not be setting any common position among local politicians when it meets in Stirling on September 26.
He said: "Lots of people have been talking about it, we'll simply be taking stock of where we have been and where we might end up going. We are not formulating policy and there's nothing in there in terms of specific proposals.
"We're awaiting the party position that will come out in the manifesto, it isn't as if we've had a heads up. It's just one of the topics for conversation."
Speakers at the event include Marco Biagi, the Scottish Government's Minister for Local Government who has been leading a review into possible replacements for the council tax, and councillor Cllr Susan Aitken, the SNP's Local Government Convener. Councillors will also be addressed by the left wing think tank Common Weal and pro-independence group Business for Scotland.
While a referendum will be discussed by councillors, any mention of a repeat referendum was left off the draft agenda for the SNP's full party conference, which takes place next month in Aberdeen.
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