Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 23 March 2016
23 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
First Minister’s Question Time
Strengthening Local Democracy (Constitutional Convention)
We welcome COSLA’s 2014 commission on strengthening local democracy and the continuing contribution that it is making to the debate. Passing power to communities is at the heart of our community empowerment agenda. For example, through the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, we have given communities much greater control in public decision making and a voice in the decisions that matter to them. We have also supported that increased democracy with our empowering communities fund.
Importantly, we have also enabled Scottish councils to reduce business rates to reflect their local economic development priorities, which will further help to strengthen local democracy.
In the same item of business
5. Drew Smith (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on the call from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities for a constitutional conve...
The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon)
SNP
We welcome COSLA’s 2014 commission on strengthening local democracy and the continuing contribution that it is making to the debate. Passing power to communi...
Drew Smith
Lab
Presiding Officer, I thank the First Minister for that answer and wish her, you and all members well. Would a fitting legacy of the debate that we have had ...
The First Minister
SNP
Yes, I think that that is a fair point. I know that Drew Smith is standing down from Parliament. I praise him for the contribution that he has made and wish ...