Scotland | LocalGov


Union announces strike ballot over pay 16/04/2025 Scottish council workers are to be balloted over strike action in response to what a union has described as a ‘pitiful' pay offer.
Scottish councils reject shared service proposal 11/04/2025 Three councils in Scotland have rejected a shared service proposal after concluding it would not offer ‘value for money'.
Health and social care facing £457m funding gap in Scotland 06/03/2025 Health and social care finances in Scotland are facing a £457m funding gap in 2024/25, a new report has revealed.
Call for devolution beyond England 28/02/2025 The Government has faced a call to extend its English devolution agenda to Scotland.
Data protection regulator reprimands Glasgow and Edinburgh 27/02/2025 The regulator for data protection has criticised Glasgow and Edinburgh city councils for failing to respond to requests for personal information on time.
Fife Council reaches £46m ‘turning point’ 25/02/2025 Fife Council has reached a ‘turning point’ and will now have to save £46m, according to a new report by the Accounts Commission.
East Lothian first in Scotland to confirm 10% council tax hike 19/02/2025 East Lothian Council is the first local authority in Scotland to confirm a double-digit council tax increase.
Scottish Government to consult on council tax reform 11/02/2025 The Scottish Government has announced plans to review the devolved nation’s council tax system to make it ‘fairer’.
Scottish councils told to transform at a pace ‘not yet seen’ 28/01/2025 A spending watchdog has urged Scottish councils to pursue transformation ‘at a pace and depth we’ve not yet seen’ to deal with severe financial pressures.
Scotland scraps core element of National Care Service 24/01/2025 The Scottish Government has scrapped plans to deliver structural social care reform through a National Care Service.
Unions lodge pay claims in Scotland 24/01/2025 Unions have put in their pay claims on behalf of local government employees in Scotland.
Edinburgh tourism tax could be starting point for fiscal devolution, experts suggest 20/01/2025 The approach to a tourism tax being taken forward in Scottish and Welsh cities could be a starting point for fiscal devolution in England, experts suggest.
Scottish council chiefs call for help with NI hike 07/01/2025 Scottish council leaders have called on the Government to cover the costs the public and charity sectors are facing from the rise in national insurance.
Scottish Government pledges to scrap two-child benefit cap 05/12/2024 The Scottish Government has announced plans to scrap Westminster’s ‘pernicious’ two-child cap on benefits.
Fresh revenue raising powers promised for councils 04/12/2024 The Scottish Budget has pledged to ‘enhance the fiscal empowerment of local government through work on a fiscal framework'.
Council chiefs in Scotland call for £872m in capital funding 02/12/2024 Local authority leaders in Scotland have called on the Scottish Government to provide councils with £872m in capital funding in 2025/26.
UNISON accepts revised pay offer 28/11/2024 Trade union UNISON has accepted the revised pay offer from local government employers in Scotland.
Scottish councils face ‘catastrophic’ funding issues 27/11/2024 Seven in 10 local authorities in Scotland have warned they will be unable to pass a balanced budget within the next five years without widespread reform.
COSLA: Council leaders offer to ‘supplement’ pay offer 08/11/2024 Local authority leaders in Scotland have offered to ‘supplement and enhance’ the latest pay offer to trade unions to prevent further strikes.
Scotland announces local safety cash with £4m for 20mph limits 05/11/2024 The Scottish Government has committed £14m to Scotland’s 32 councils to enhance road safety, with £4m dedicated to the rollout of 20mph limits.
Scottish Government to decide fate of last man on housing estate 01/11/2024 The Scottish Government will determine what happens to the last man living on a housing estate earmarked for demolition by the local council.
Scottish councils 'under extraordinary pressure' 30/10/2024 The council finance system in Scotland requires reform to avoid ‘catastrophe', newly-published research has found.
Scotland faces 90% homelessness rise by 2040 29/10/2024 Scotland is set for a ‘homelessness crisis of alarming proportions’ if current trends persist, new research has found.
Scottish councils must ‘urgently’ reform, watchdog says 01/10/2024 Local authorities in Scotland must urgently transform how they work if they are to ‘sustainably maintain services’, a public finance watchdog has said.
Council leaders withdraw support for social care bill 30/09/2024 Local authority leaders in Scotland have withdrawn their support for the Scottish Government’s flagship social care reform bill.
Union threatens strike action after pay award decision 27/09/2024 Local authority leaders in Scotland have decided to impose a wage rise prompting UNISON to threaten strike action.
Council told to ‘urgently address’ financial situation 27/09/2024 Auditors have praised Clackmannanshire Council for demonstrating improvement but urged the local authority to ‘urgently address its financial situation.’
Council drops all-Gaelic school plan 26/09/2024 Argyll and Bute councillors have decided to drop plans for a Gaelic language and culture school following a close-run public consultation.
Holyrood warned against adding ‘bureaucratic layers’ to social care 20/09/2024 The Scottish Government should focus more on tackling the ‘ineffective’ funding of social care rather than adding ‘bureaucratic layers’, CIPFA says.
Scottish councils face critical workforce gaps 05/09/2024 Local authorities in Scotland are facing critical workforce gaps in multiple areas, in particular in social care and social work, a new report has found.
Unite ‘overwhelmingly’ backs COSLA pay offer 05/09/2024 Unite members have voted to accept the revised pay offer from local government employers in Scotland.
Scottish Government asks councils to divert funds to cover pay deal 28/08/2024 The Scottish Government has asked councils to divert funds from a Nature Restoration Fund to help them meet the revised local authority pay deal.
Call for Government RAAC remediation cash 20/08/2024 Pressure is growing on the Scottish Government to help shoulder the multi-million pound burden of replacing council buildings containing dangerous concrete.
Council worker pay strike suspended 13/08/2024 A strike over pay that was set to hit Scotland this week has been suspended after council leaders made a new offer.
COSLA makes improved pay offer 12/08/2024 Councils have made an improved pay offer to staff in a bid to avert strike action across Scotland.
Unions threaten ‘stinking’ summer after rejecting pay offer 22/07/2024 Residents in Scotland will be faced with a ‘stinking Scottish summer’ unless local government employers improve their pay offer to workers, union says.
COSLA offers 3.2% pay uplift 18/07/2024 Local government employers in Scotland have made a new pay offer in an effort to resolve the ongoing pay dispute.
Scotland’s bin strikes will create ‘playground for pests’ 04/07/2024 Residents in council areas that will be affected by the summer bin strikes in Scotland have been asked to take ‘reasonable steps’ to avoid attracting pests.
Bin strikes could hit Edinburgh Fringe Festival, union says 02/07/2024 Waste and recycling workers in Scotland have voted to go on strike during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival as part of an ongoing pay dispute.
Postal vote pressures threaten 'overload' 28/06/2024 A surge of demand for postal votes is threatening to leave people unable to take part in the General Election.
Council plea for landfill ban funding 25/06/2024 The Scottish Government has been asked for funding to implement a looming ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfill.
UNISON: Over 90% of council workers reject pay offer 17/06/2024 Thousands of council workers in Scotland have voted overwhelmingly to reject a pay offer from local government employers.
Edinburgh council celebrates ‘spectacular’ Eras Tour welcome 11/06/2024 The City of Edinburgh Council has paid tribute to fans, residents, transport services and staff after Taylor Swift’s global tour descended on the city at the weekend.
Unite warns of strike action in escalating pay dispute 29/05/2024 Unite has served industrial action notices to 29 councils in the escalating pay dispute between local government employers and employees in Scotland.
Scottish councils criticise ‘excessive’ tourism tax delay 28/05/2024 Local authority leaders across Scotland have called on Holyrood to accelerate plans to empower them to charge visitors for overnight stays.
COSLA makes 2.2% pay offer 24/05/2024 Local authority employees in Scotland have been offered a 2.2% pay increase from 1 April.
Biffa sues Scottish Government for £55m over DRS 16/05/2024 Biffa has confirmed it is taking legal action against the Scottish Government for losses incurred after the scrapping of the deposit return scheme (DRS).
Scottish councils face £585m funding gap 14/05/2024 Council leaders across Scotland have called on Holyrood to find a ‘meaningful solution’ to the half a billion pound shortfall faced by local government.
UNISON: Council employers ‘miles away’ from acceptable pay offer 13/05/2024 Local authority workers in Scotland are considering strike action because ‘employers are miles away from offering anything staff are likely to accept’.
Re-elected Burnham calls for Right to Buy suspension powers 07/05/2024 Greater Manchester’s re-elected mayor has called for powers to suspend Right to Buy on new homes under plans to build 10,000 houses across the region.
Unison warns of looming strike as it awaits pay offer 22/04/2024 Scotland’s largest local government union has warned that strike preparations could begin next week amid growing tensions over pay.
Scots government 'unlikely' to create equal pay body 19/04/2024 Scottish Government ministers are unlikely to establish a national equal pay unit, despite calls from the trade union that led to strikes over the issue.
Watchdog tells Falkirk to confront 'difficult decisions' 17/04/2024 Falkirk Council faces ‘difficult decisions’ to bridge a budget gap of tens of millions, according to Audit Scotland.
Scottish councils’ debt is one-and-a-half times funding 08/04/2024 The debt of councils in Scotland is more than one-and-a-half times the latest local government funding settlement, the Scottish Conservatives have found.
Proposed law could ease housing emergencies 27/03/2024 Scottish councils may be required to assess the condition of private rented accommodation under a proposed law.
Scottish councils in tax U-turn 25/03/2024 Argyll and Bute and Inverclyde councils had both voted to raise tax in defiance of the Scottish Government's efforts to secure a nationwide freeze.
Watchdog warning over Moray's funding gap 07/03/2024 Moray Council must act quickly to shore up its finances, Audit Scotland has warned.
National care service overhaul fails to charm councils 28/02/2024 Councils in Scotland remain unconvinced by proposals to create a national care service.
Scottish Budget 'not good' for communities 28/02/2024 Next year’s Scottish Budget is ‘not good’ for communities, council leaders have said.
Regulator calls for 'substantial' planning intervention 26/02/2024 The planning system requires ‘substantial intervention’ by the Government to ensure consistent delivery of new homes, a major study has concluded.
Council rejects tax freeze offer 23/02/2024 Argyll and Bute Council has become the first to reject the Scottish Government’s council tax freeze.
Orkney names Scotland's youngest council leader 21/02/2024 Orkney Islands Council has appointed Cllr Heather Woodbridge as Scotland's youngest local authority leader.
Scotland’s public services ‘crumbling’ 19/02/2024 Scots have observed worsening poverty and public services are failing to address social problem, according to a new report.
Scottish council chiefs call for £45m uplift guarantee 12/02/2024 Leaders in Scotland have called for a guarantee the £45m Barnett consequentials from a £600m increase to the English finance settlement will be passed on.
Scotland’s homelessness system 'at risk of failure' 02/02/2024 Scotland’s homelessness system is on the brink of collapse, according to the country’s housing watchdog.
Edinburgh first to enforce pavement parking ban 29/01/2024 Edinburgh City Council has become the first local authority in Scotland to enforce a ban on pavement parking.
Council leaders demand right to set tax levels 26/01/2024 Local authority leaders in Scotland have renewed their fight to set their own council taxes – despite the pledge of a freeze by first minister Humza Yousaf.
Argyll and Bute considers 10% council tax hike 25/01/2024 Argyll and Bute Council are considering a council tax rise of 10% in order to tackle ‘enormous budget challenges’.
Scottish councils face ‘difficult decisions’ on cuts 16/01/2024 ‘Intensifying pressures’ on Scottish local authorities mean they must make difficult decisions on service delivery to remain financially sustainable, a watchdog has said.
Scottish budget ‘missed opportunity’ for reform 03/01/2024 The Scottish budget is a ‘missed opportunity’ for delivering on public service reform, local authority leaders in Scotland have told Holyrood.
Council tax freeze to cost £156m 02/01/2024 Scottish councils face a real terms cut of up to £156m next year as a result of the council tax freeze, new research has found.
Scottish councils get £14bn boost 19/12/2023 Local government in Scotland is set to benefit from a £14bn boost but council tax will be frozen despite criticisms of the plan by local authority leaders.
Council tax freeze costs Scottish Government £300m 15/12/2023 Fully funding local authorities for Scotland’s council tax freeze contributes significantly to the £1.5bn shortfall facing Holyrood, experts have warned.
Quarter of Scottish councils fear bankruptcy 13/12/2023 Nearly a quarter of Scottish councils fear they will be unable to balance their budget next year, new research shows.
COSLA ramps up Budget lobbying 04/12/2023 Well-funded councils are the key to unlocking the potential within Scotland’s communities, town hall leaders have claimed ahead of the country’s budget.
Unison members accept ‘long overdue’ pay offer 27/11/2023 Council chiefs in Scotland have welcomed a decision by Unison members to accept the latest offer in a long running pay dispute.
New offer in pay dispute 03/11/2023 More money has been offered in the hope of averting strike action by Scottish Unison members.
School staff strike amid pay dispute 01/11/2023 Schools in parts of Scotland were closed on Wednesday as non-teaching staff went on strike in an ongoing dispute over local government pay.
Glasgow clean air bid gets all clear 31/10/2023 A legal challenge to Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) from a local business has failed.
How AI surveys show councils need a new approach on litter 31/10/2023 Gavin Ellis, co-founder and director of Hubbub, discusses how litter survey projects on Glasgow and Cardiff roads suggest that a new approach is needed by local authorities.
‘No agreement’ with Scottish councils to freeze council tax 18/10/2023 The decision to freeze council tax across Scotland was made ‘completely without reference to local government’, according to council bosses.
Unison rejects Scotland’s 10% pay offer 16/10/2023 Unison members in Scotland today rejected local government employers’ latest pay deal, which would have seen the lowest-paid staff receive a 10% wage boost.
Unite suspends strike 22/09/2023 The trade union Unite has suspended a planned three-day strike across education and local government in Scotland after receiving a ‘serious’ pay offer from employers.
Rethinking council tax in Scotland 22/09/2023 Alison Payne, research director of Reform Scotland, argues that it is past time for a major rethink of council tax in Scotland.
Calls to scrap council tax hike as consultation closes 20/09/2023 Councils should have complete control over their local tax, thinktank Reform Scotland has said in response to plans to increase council tax across Scotland.
Glasgow to pilot drug consumption facility 15/09/2023 A safe drug consumption facility is set to be trialled in Glasgow after the lord advocate said she did not believe it would be in the public interest to prosecute users of drug consumption rooms for simple possession offences.
Council tax reforms divide sector 07/09/2023 Scottish local authorities have been left deeply divided by proposals to hike council tax on higher bands.
Edinburgh removes religious reps’ voting rights 06/09/2023 The City of Edinburgh Council has voted to end voting privileges for unelected religious appointees on its cabinet and education committees.
Quarter of jobs go unfilled at Scottish councils 05/09/2023 Almost a quarter of job vacancies at Scotland’s councils were not filled last year, according to new figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives.
Union issues safety warning as Glasgow ‘slashes’ number of CCTV staff 01/09/2023 Glasgow City Council has halved the number of staff it employs to monitor CCTV cameras in order to cut costs.
Perth & Kinross in global first 31/08/2023 Perth & Kinross Council has become the first place in the world to use spiral-flow battery technology to reduce its carbon footprint.
Councillor charged over child grooming allegations 30/08/2023 A Scottish Labour councillor has been suspended from the party after he was charged over allegations of child grooming.
School staff at 10 Scottish councils to strike 18/08/2023 Local authority employees in schools and early years provisions across Scotland will strike for two days next month, GMB Scotland has announced.
Boycott Bill faces Scottish opposition 16/08/2023 The UK Government’s planned ban on council boycotts is facing opposition from Holyrood.
Thousands of education workers vote to strike in Scotland 07/08/2023 Thousands of workers in education and early years services across 10 local authority areas in Scotland have voted to go on strike.
Holyrood announces £3.2m fund to tackle loneliness 25/07/2023 More than 50 projects that are tackling social isolation and loneliness in Scotland have received a share of a new multi-million-pound fund.
Plans to increase Scottish council tax published 12/07/2023 The Scottish government has published its proposals to increase council tax for those living in the highest value properties.
Scottish council staff will not move to care boards 12/07/2023 Holyrood says that staff will still be employed by councils rather than being transferred to care boards when the National Care Service (NCS) is established.
Scottish councils reach participatory budgets target 12/07/2023 Scottish councils have achieved a target of spending 1% of their budgets through the participatory budgeting process.
COSLA and Holyrood strike 'landmark' deal 03/07/2023 A pledge for greater fiscal control for councils has been made in a ‘landmark agreement’ between national and local government in Scotland.