Title

FINANCE

Think-tank calls for fiscal devolution

Council tax and business rates in Scotland should be devolved in full to local authorities, a think-tank has argued.

Council tax and business rates in Scotland should be devolved in full to local authorities, a think-tank has argued.

Reform Scotland said local democracy was undermined by the current local taxation system because it is out of the control of elected councillors.

The think-tank believes this weakens the link between councillors and the people who elect them, causing a loss of faith and a lack of participation in local politics and local elections.

‘Local democracy in Scotland is severely constrained because councils have insufficient power to do what they would like to do and are therefore not genuinely accountable to local voters,' said Reform Scotland's director Geoff Mawdsley.

‘In large part, that is because local authorities have almost no control over local taxation.

‘If we truly believe that decisions should be made closer to those whom they affect, then we need to rejuvenate local democracy,' Mr Mawdsley continued.

‘That's why we want to see council tax and business rates devolved to local authorities in full - bands, rates, increases, cuts, applications, the lot.

‘Together with the money councils raise from rent, sales and charges, they would raise about half of their own spending, with the remainder coming from the continuation of the General Revenue Grant.'

FINANCE

Labour conference: McGuinness calls for more health devolution

By Heather Jameson | 02 October 2025

More should be done to devolve health, mayor of the North East Kim McGuinness has told a Labour Party conference fringe session.

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

Technology and bold thinking – a winning combination

By Tim Farr | 02 October 2025

In today’s climate, organisations have to be resilient, adaptive and forward-looking in order to survive. And the right leadership is vital to enable this mo...

Popular articles by William Eichler