FINANCE

Committee to probe council spending

A review of how local authorities in Scotland prioritise spending and assess the impact of increased charges was launched today by a parliamentary committee.

A review of how local authorities in Scotland prioritise spending and assess the impact of increased charges was launched today by a parliamentary committee.

Scotland's Local Government and Communities Committee will look into council spending ahead of its scrutiny of the Scottish Government's draft budget for 2018/19.

It will study a range of areas, including changes to the charges for burial services, local authority gyms and access to public toilets.

Committee convener, Bob Doris MSP, said: ‘We know that local governments have been facing financial challenges for a long time because of growing demands on their services and significant revenue budget cuts, as part of UK-wide reductions in public sector budgets.

‘We want to ensure that a fully transparent position of local government finances can be established, which takes into account other funding streams within councils such as pupil equity funds, health and social care integration funds and City Deal resources.

‘While local authorities have been making savings over previous years, the future shape of the local government settlement is changing and this may pose a level of uncertainty they've not previously had to cope with.'

FINANCE

Future-proofing devolution

By Professor John Denham | 14 July 2025

Devolution will need strong statutory underpinning and a long-term, cross-departmental ambition if it is to succeed, say Professor John Denham and Sir David ...

FINANCE

Fair funding finally within sight

By Sir Stephen Houghton | 11 July 2025

Full council tax equalisation will have a huge impact for the most deprived areas, but for the sector to be able to work with Government as a partner an incr...

FINANCE

ADCS Conference: £53m for new DoL placements

By Ann McGauran | 10 July 2025

The Government has allocated £53m to create 200 new council-run placements for children deprived of their liberty, a minister announced today.

FINANCE

WLGA defends councils over Covid funds

By Martin Ford | 10 July 2025

The Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has defended the role of councils in distributing social care funding during the Covid pandemic.

Popular articles by William Eichler