Councils in Scotland now have a legal guarantee that decisions affecting communities will be made as close to them as possible, as the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2026 comes into force.
COSLA, which lobbied for the change, has welcomed the move. The Act protects councils' right to manage local affairs, requires timely consultation, safeguards boundaries and calls for adequate funding.
Cllr Steven Heddle, COSLA Vice President, said the timing was key as Ministers look to restructure local government. ‘Councils are where democracy sits closest to people's everyday lives,’ he said.
'The Charter gives us a clear test for Public Service Reform: does it put communities first? Scottish Ministers now have a legal duty to act compatibly with the Charter, and, while the First Minister has made clear that COSLA will be a key partner throughout the reform process, underpinned by the Act, that must be reflected in how change is designed and delivered,' he said.
