Meeting of the Parliament 04 February 2026
The bill has always had a simple and widely supported purpose: to incorporate the European Charter of Local Self-Government into Scots law. In practice, that means giving local authorities clear legal rights, requiring the Scottish ministers to act in line with the charter and ensuring that Scotland meets the democratic standards that are expected across Europe. It will strengthen local autonomy, improve transparency and allow councils to challenge actions that undermine their role. This was never a constitutional provocation; it was a practical measure to protect and empower local democracy. The Supreme Court did not strike down that purpose; it struck down the drafting.
The then Deputy First Minister promised in May 2022 to work at pace to lodge amendments. He promised engagement with COSLA and with Parliament, but, since that statement, nothing of substance has happened—no amendments, no timetable and, seemingly, no progress.
COSLA’s briefing to its own convention in March 2023 highlighted the lack of apparent progress and urged early ministerial engagement. COSLA seemed to be doing everything that it could. The only thing missing was meaningful action from the Scottish Government, which seems to be a pattern.
Local government has become an afterthought for this Administration—not a partner, but the body that is expected to administer cuts, absorb blame and take the flak when services are hollowed out.
The much-lauded Verity house agreement, once heralded as bringing in a new era of respect, lies in complete tatters, abandoned the moment its political usefulness expired. Over the past decade and more, councils have faced cuts of around £7 billion, and they are left carrying an unsustainable financial burden. That is not just my view or that of my Scottish Labour colleagues—Scottish National Party councillor Ricky Bell, who is COSLA’s spokesperson for resources, has warned that
“local government finances are under severe and growing strain.”
He went on to say that councils have already delivered
“significant savings year on year”
and that
“there is a clear limit to what can be achieved without impacting the services communities rely on.”
He said that reliance on reserves and borrowing is
“not a sustainable long-term solution”,
and that the medium-term outlook is for
“continued de-prioritisation and the prospect of significant real-terms cuts.”
The SNP councillor’s conclusion is that
“Urgent action is needed”.
The bill was universally supported. Passing it promptly should have been the easy part, yet the Government managed to turn that consensus from years ago into delay—six years of it. Local government deserves better, and Scotland deserves better. Today, at long last, we have the chance to put that right, without excuses or constitutional theatre and with the respect that our councils and communities are owed.