Councils in Scotland will welcome an assurance given by finance secretary, John Swinney, that the SNP administration at Holyrood has no intention of carrying out a further review of local government. Speaking at the recent Scottish conference of the Institute of Rating Revenues and Valuation (IRRV) at Crieff, he said he wanted to lift the ‘cloud' that had been hanging over councils. ‘In the course of the summer, I have met 18 local authorities, and I have said to every one of them that absolutely no way on earth will this Government be persuaded to undertake a reorganisation of local government,' he said. This categorical assurance should succeed in removing uncertainty about the future of the 32 unitary councils. The SNP administration is committed to public sector reform but will not interfere with the structure of local government. And, rather than diminishing the powers of councils, the SNP has promised to hand them more powers, including some of the functions of the existing Scottish Enterprise development agency network and Communities Scotland, the housing and regeneration agency. Mr Swinney, of course, will want something in return. He is anxious to increase the pace of public sector reform. As part of the reforms planned by the former Labour finance minister, Tom McCabe, a number of councils have already drawn up service sharing plans. However, not a great deal has happened, yet, in practice, and some of the proposals appear to have been put on ice, pending the outcome of the local and parliamentary elections in May. Mr Swinney believes the removal of the ‘cloud' of a reorganisation will clear the way and enable councils to give greater attention to the sharing of services and other efficiency measures. This seems a sensible approach and councils should not waste any time in responding to the minister's challenge. n
