WIREDGOV

Proposal for reform of local governance.

National renewal through public sector reform - a proposal for reform of local governance 

Introduction

The Programme for Government set out a clear necessity for public service reform at the heart of the Government’s ambitions. 

Our aims for reforms are to rewire the state to help improve the delivery of public services and maximise the efficient use of public spending. The case for change is pressing and urgent, requiring public services that are modern, responsive, and person-centred. Put simply, we want to deliver improved services, rather than simply preserve the existing local governance architecture.

As part of our reform ambitions the Government committed to engaging intensively with partners in relation to reform of local governance. Our aim is to find as much common ground as is possible and reach a shared direction before the end of this year about solutions so that we can move from debate to implementation, with early decisions informing the next Scottish Budget. 

The Government enters this dialogue with an open mind; we do not seek to be prescriptive at this stage. However the Government recognises the need to aid discussions by setting out an initial proposition. There have been extensive discussions about reform and change over recent years, and a number of initiatives led by existing local authorities themselves. Following engagement with representatives of local government in Scotland, we are outlining in this paper the nature of fundamental reform the Government wants to consider in order to support this intensive period of dialogue and help to reach initial conclusions. 

This paper is intended to be a starting point to facilitate debate and discussion with the objective of establishing a measure of shared agreement about the scale and the broad shape that reform could take. 

Scotland is fortunate, because of our size, that some priorities are best delivered at a national level; others are best delivered regionally; and some at a level closer to communities. What we must now do is get that balance right, enabling us to deliver more responsive and more effective public services that meet the needs of our people and our communities.

The current model of local government has not been reviewed since devolution and the restoration of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Increasingly our current model of governance creates anomalies and risks inconsistencies in service delivery and, ultimately, outcomes for the people we serve. 

The Government’s starting point is ensuring that we have the organisational capacity and capability we need at the right levels – strategic and also local – to unleash economic opportunities and achieve the ambitions of communities in all areas of Scotland. This will also mean identifying where resources can be pooled to greatest effect and most efficiently, ensuring that key services and outcomes are delivered consistently well. 

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