Where is the radicalism local government needs?
Labour peer PAULINE BRYAN assesses a new report from the think tank, Our Scottish Futures
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WITH a yet another round of cuts being visited on Scottish councils, it is essential that there is a discussion on the future of local government in Scotland.
From that point of view the report by the think tank, closely associated with Gordon Brown, Our Scottish Futures is welcome. The title Re-Wiring Scotland is more than a nod to Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester, for ultimately the report adopts the contentious position that Scotland should legislate to allow a “metro mayor” system.
However there is a at least one point in the report that is not contentious at least across the left in Scotland, that is the need to decentralise power from the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood to local authorities.
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