Scotland's government is proposing a significant restructuring of its local government, potentially consolidating the current 32 councils into six to 10 larger regional authorities. The plan, detailed in proposals shared with Holyrood committees and the council umbrella body Cosla, aims to streamline services and focus investment.
Under the suggested reforms, these new regional bodies would take responsibility for major policy areas including education, economic development, and large-scale planning decisions. They would also manage essential services such as waste management, cleaning, and early learning.
A tiered approach is envisioned, with the regional authorities supporting between 120 and 160 smaller community authorities. These community-level bodies would handle more localized issues, contributing to local planning, town center regeneration, licensing, and the historic environment.
The proposals also stipulate that Scotland's islands would require separate administrative arrangements. The plan suggests that current council wards would be maintained, with elected councillors serving on both the local community and regional authorities. The increased workload this might entail could necessitate a pay increase for councillors, according to the document.
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth stated that the reforms are intended to ensure investment is focused on frontline service delivery and to empower communities. She indicated that existing local government responsibilities could be expanded, particularly in economic development and business support, to better reflect local strengths.
"These proposals are intended to provide a starting point to facilitate debate and discussion as we work to deliver reforms that strengthen public services and improve outcomes for the people and communities we serve," Gilruth said.
The proposals do not yet include details on how the reforms would be financed, and a public consultation is expected to follow.