Meeting of the Parliament 26 February 2015
I thank my colleagues on the Local Government and Regeneration Committee for the work that they did on the flexibility and autonomy report. During our deliberations, one aspect that we looked at was the legal and constitutional funding mechanisms that are available to local government. Paragraph 101 of our report states:
“Steps should be taken within the lifetime of this Parliament to initiate an agreed approach to facilitate meaningful debate on alternative approaches with the aim of having a new system identified in time for the next local government elections in 2017. We consider this to be the latest appropriate timetable which would enable candidates at that election to put forward their policies linked to revised funding mechanisms. Given the desirability of reaching consensus we consider this should be done by way of an independent cross-party commission which should include representatives from local government and wider civic society across Scotland.”
I am extremely pleased that the Government has listened to that recommendation from the committee, and I was extremely pleased that every single member of the committee signed up to it, including the Conservative member.
I am quite surprised by the Conservatives’ attitude today, because what we need in dealing with this subject, which is—let us face it—a thorny one, is civic Scotland’s input. Basically, the Tories are saying that they are not interested in civic Scotland’s views. I am glad that the Labour Party, the Greens and the Liberal Democrats as well as many people from civic Scotland have agreed to join the commission.