Scotland's 32 councils would be replaced by as few as six ‘regional’ bodies but there would also be up to 160 ‘community authorities’ under SNP reforms which have been branded a ‘dog’s dinner’.
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which → replace → reforms
The Scottish Government yesterday set out more detail on its proposals for an overhaul of local government as part of its public sector reforms.
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Government → set → reforms
It said its ‘opening proposition’ is for the current system to be replaced by between six and ten ‘regional authorities’ focused on decision-making.
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system → say → making
But it also proposed that there would be a further 120-160 ‘community authorities’ for local decisions
It said councillors would ‘continue to be elected at the current ward level’, and would sit on both the community authority and on the over-arching regional authority.
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councillors → propose → authority
Scottish Conservative local government reform spokesman Alexander Burnett said: ‘This is nothing short of a dogs dinner from the SNP.
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This → say → SNP
‘John Swinney and his ministers are clearly making it up as they go along rather than being honest with Scots about what they are planning.
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they → make → what
‘After getting the easy headlines, ministers are already showing signs that no work had been done beyond that.
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work → get → that
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said the proposals were intended to start debate
‘Restructuring local government and the delivery of local services that councils provide is far too important to be taken forward with half-baked measures.
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councils → say → measures
The SNP have a terrible track record when it comes to reforming public services and the Scottish Conservatives will continue to demand Swinney comes clean on his proposals, especially with local council elections looming next year.
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elections → have → proposals
Under the complex proposals unveiled yesterday, the 6-10 regional authorities would focus on ‘strategic decision-making’, while 120-160 community authorities would focus on ‘local-decision making’.
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authorities → unveil → making
The Scottish Government proposal said: ‘Community authorities would sit within the borders of regional authorities, with the aim that community authorities would see “burgh/county/town/district/island” authorities based on identifiable communities.
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authorities → say → communities
‘For example, this could include areas such as Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, or Leith in Edinburgh, or Blairgowrie and Rattray in Perthshire, it could be townships, villages or islands.
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it → include → Perthshire
‘We would propose that councillors would continue to be elected at the current ward level, sitting on both the community authority and on the associated regional authority.
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councillors → propose → authority
'This would improve local decision-making and enable greater strategic working, without the necessity of a further layer of elections or creating additional tiers of bureaucracy.’
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This → improve → bureaucracy
But Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit, said: ‘Today’s proposals for reform of local governance are ill-advised and entirely impractical.
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proposals → say → governance
Expecting councils to engage in meaningful discussions and reach an agreement based on this within a mere 10 weeks is entirely unrealistic.
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councils → expect → weeks
‘The plan is clearly half-baked and raises numerous unanswered questions, such as what exactly will the new regions be and how will the geographies of community authorities be decided and by whom?’
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geographies → raise → whom
Scottish Labour local government spokesman Joe Fagan said: ‘Local services are under increasing pressure right across Scotland and too many communities are being let down.
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communities → say → Scotland
It’s clear things need to change but it is crucial that we get this right.
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this → ’ → ?
The Scottish Government must not blunder into another reorganisation.
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Government → blunder → reorganisation
Then First Minister Humza Yousaf with COSLA president Shona Morrison - who said she was engage in constructive dialogue with current SNP leadership
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she → say → leadership
Any reforms must be made in partnership with local government and backed up with fair funding for local services.’
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reforms → make → services
Scottish Liberal Democrat local government spokesman Morven-May MacCallum said: ‘Councils should be able to make decisions that are right for their local areas.
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that → say → areas
‘They should not be subject to another wave of SNP centralisation or cuts, which have already caused so much harm in communities across the country.’
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which → cause → country
Councillor Shona Morrison, president of local authority umbrella body Cosla, said: ‘Today’s statement gives some clarity to the Scottish Government’s intentions around the future of local government and public service reform.
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statement → say → government
'Cosla has been clear that public service reform will only succeed if it is rooted in communities and that any changes to our governance landscape must enhance local democracy and bring decisions closer to communities.
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changes → succeed → communities
‘Councils will engage with ministers to shape the future of local democracy.
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Councils → engage → democracy
We will not support reforms that dilute local democracy or remove accountability from the people we serve.
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we → support → people
‘Cosla’s membership will consider these proposals from Scottish Government and continue constructive dialogue on what may be a fundamental restructuring of governance in Scotland.’
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what → consider → Scotland
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said: ‘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.’
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we → say → people
The Aporia
