Title

FINANCE

Scottish councils need extra £1bn to 'survive'

Councils in Scotland need more than an extra £1bn a year just to survive, a new briefing has warned.

Councils in Scotland need more than an extra £1bn a year just to survive, a new briefing has warned.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) briefing called for urgent action to reverse the real terms cuts to councils' budgets in recent years.

In 2021-22, the revenue settlement for local government was just over £11bn.

However, COSLA claimed that to survive councils needed £12.07bn and it argued that to thrive councils should receive a settlement of £12.66bn.

COSLA's resources spokesperson, Cllr Gail Macgregor, said: 'Local government has been the poor relation of recent Budgets, and our local knowledge and links need to be used fully before we are past the point of no return.

'Our communities are starting to show the neglect of an under-funded local government.

'Quite simply, what we need from this Budget is proper funding to provide the everyday services our communities need and deserve.'

FINANCE

Reorganisation, Reform and devolution

By Ann McGauran | 02 October 2025

Change is rippling through local government, from structural reform and new combined authorities, to health integration and the push for financial sustainabi...

FINANCE

Stability, partnership and delivery

By Sir James Cleverly | 02 October 2025

As delegates prepare to head to the Conservative party conference, Sir James Cleverly highlights the pressures councils face on asylum, funding, housing and ...

FINANCE

The essential role of agencies in council's recruitment and retention

By Cieran Donnelly | 02 October 2025

At a time of ongoing change, temporary staff can fulfil a vital role in maintaining the high performance of your organisation – and strategic agency partners...

FINANCE

Beyond winning and losing: leadership lessons for LGR

By Max Wide | 01 October 2025

Max Wide explores the leadership choices posed by reorganisation and reflects on how collaboration, cultural integration and private sector insights can help...

Popular articles by Laura Sharman