Scottish Government announces proposals to scrap current council structure

Scotland’s current 32 council structure could be scrapped and replaced with a two-tier system of regional and more local bodies, under Government proposals.

The Scottish Government pledged to reform local government and published its initial offering on Monday.

The proposals were published to “aid discussion” around the final plans.

The 1,800-word paper suggested replacing the current structure with between six and 10 regional authorities, which could be given powers over larger planning decisions, education and economic development, and between 120 and 160 more local “community” authorities, which would control local planning decisions, licensing and the historic environment.

The paper also suggested that responsibilities currently held by one of Scotland’s roughly 130 public bodies could be given to either of the authorities.

Separate set-ups for Scotland’s islands would also be required, according to the paper.

Funding models would likely be one of the more fraught areas of the new proposals, with the Government refusing to currently stake a position.

Under the Government’s plans, councillors would continue to be elected under the current ward system and would sit on both the local and regional authorities, though the paper suggests the increased time commitment may require a boost in councillor pay.

Stressing that the position paper was a “starting point” for discussion, Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “Reforming Scotland’s public sector is about delivering the best public services for people across Scotland.

“We need to ensure investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to empower communities and deliver real improvements in public services.

“Some decision-making is best delivered at national level and regional level while others better sit closer to communities and we must get that balance right.

“Existing local government responsibilities could also be extended, including enhanced roles in economic development and business support so that individual areas can reflect local strengths and ambitions.

“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.”