Council leaders have urged caution around Scottish Government’s plans to reform Local Government and called for strong evidence to underpin any significant changes.
Following a meeting of COSLA Leaders yesterday, Cllr Shona Morrison said: “The Scottish Government’s proposals leave more questions than answers.
“It is vital that reforms are based on sound evidence and that meaningful engagement takes place. For that reason, COSLA will participate fully in this period of dialogue to shape the future of local democracy in Scotland.
“If local government is to be reformed, it must be about bringing decisions closer to communities, improving local democracy and delivering better outcomes for all. Significant changes like this must be agreed between Scottish Government and local government and not imposed from the top down.
“Communities must be at the heart of reform. COSLA Leaders are clear that communities and vital staff delivering services day-in-day out must meaningfully inform the future of local services.
“While we all agree on the need for reform, this will not work if it is imposed on councils and the communities they serve so we are calling for Ministers to commit that any changes will be implemented only through agreement with existing local authorities. This will be an important message to send ahead of next year’s local council elections.
“As councils continue to deliver vital services it is vital Scottish Government works with COSLA to bring clarity to these questions and act on sound evidence.”
Empowered Communities? Proposals outlined to shape consultation
Initial proposals designed to deliver fundamental reform of local governance have been set out to help shape the debate on improving public services.
The possible changes, if implemented, could help achieve a better balance of decision-making powers across the public sector to ensure investment is focused on delivering improved services.
Initial proposals – which have been shared with COSLA and Holyrood Committees – include:
Replacing current local government arrangements with a smaller number of regional authorities to focus on strategic decision-making alongside a substantial number of community authorities with a focus on local decision-making
Separate arrangements for island communities have been suggested in recognition of their particular needs
Councillors sitting on both community authority and the associated regional authority to remove the need for a further layer of elections or additional tiers of bureaucracy
Ensuring regional administrative corporate structures support both regional and community authorities
Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “Reforming Scotland’s public sector is about delivering the best public services for people across Scotland.
“We need to ensure investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to empower communities and deliver real improvements in public services.
“Some decision making is best delivered at national level and regional level while others better sit closer to communities and we must get that balance right. Existing local government responsibilities could also be extended, including enhanced roles in economic development and business support so that individual areas can reflect local strengths and ambitions.
“These proposals are intended to provide a starting point to facilitate debate and discussion as we work to deliver reforms that strengthen public services and improve outcomes for the people and communities we serve.”
Commenting on the Scottish Government’s public sector reform proposals for local governance, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said:“Whilst the Scottish Government have the laudable ambition to strengthen local democracy, it’s absolutely for the birds to think the sheer scale of this local government reform can be achieved without the initial and substantial investment required to bring about change in our communities.
“There is an argument that community authorities can improve decision making but only if the funding exists to deliver these services. The Scottish Government must be clear that, in the short-term, this will cost money – not save it.
“You cannot credibly claim to empower communities whilst looking set to cull 20,000 public servants who would, in reality, be required to get these reforms off the ground in the first place.
“Unions will continue to monitor the government’s proposals and will engage in good faith. However, we must be clear that any reforms forthcoming must not be a mere smokescreen for brutal cuts cosplaying as progress.
“Real progress means ending the £3 billion outsourcing within the public sector, delivering sectoral bargaining within social care and properly funding our public services through progressive taxation that builds, not bulldozes, our local government and public services.”
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU),said: “Today’s proposals for reform of local governance are ill-advised and entirely impractical. Expecting councils to engage in meaningful discussions and reach an agreement based on this within a mere 10 weeks is entirely unrealistic.
“The plan is clearly half-baked and raises numerous unanswered questions, such as what exactly will the new regions be and how will the geographies of community authorities be decided and by whom?
Crucial service sectors are similarly glossed over without practical detail. On education, suggesting that certain responsibilities be devolved locally to community authorities while empowering headteachers effectively strips local councils of education oversight.
“Transitioning to these regional and community tiers will also incur significant financial costs that remain totally uncalculated. Meanwhile, the statement provides zero clarity on social care: is it destined for nationalisation, takeover by two new NHS Boards, absorption into the new regional authorities, or some confusing hybrid of all three?
“Scottish Government must learn from England’s failings on reorganisation and understand how notoriously complex, costly, and difficult it is. It consumes immense energy and attention, distracting everyone from core priorities. If you are going to attempt it, you need absolute clarity on geographies rather than rushing straight to structural fixes.
“Real regional collaboration and stronger community engagement can easily be achieved within existing local authority structures—it doesn’t demand structural change. Substituting structural upheaval for real progress simply reflects a lack of imagination, a reluctance to put in the hard yards of true collaboration, and the vanity of chasing a political legacy.”
COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has responded to Scottish Government’s proposals for Local Government reform:“Today’s statement gives some clarity to the Scottish Government’s intentions around the future of local government and public service reform.
“COSLA has been clear that public service reform will only succeed if it is rooted in communities and that any changes to our governance landscape must enhance local democracy and bring decisions closer to communities.
“Councils will engage with Ministers to shape the future of local democracy. We will not support reforms that dilute local democracy or remove accountability from the people we serve.
“COSLA’s membership will consider these proposals from Scottish Government and continue constructive dialogue on what may be a fundamental restructuring of governance in Scotland.”
COSLA Leaders will meet on Friday to discuss public service reform proposals.
Earlier this month (11 September) COSLA confirmed that Local Government will engage constructively in the Scottish Government’s proposed three-month dialogue on public service reform, but participation must not be mistaken for agreement to any predetermined structure or transfer of responsibilities.
Councillors are elected by their communities to represent their interests. It is therefore vital to public trust that engagement is meaningful and truly informs any change to public services.
Council Leaders are clear: public service reform must be developed jointly by Local Government and Scottish Government, grounded in evidence, focused on outcomes, and shaped by the communities and workforce who will be most affected.
COSLA President, Cllr Shona Morrison, stated clearly:“Public service reform will only succeed if it is rooted in communities, not organisational charts. Local Government will engage with Scottish Government, but we will not support reforms that dilute local democracy, centralise decision-making or remove accountability from the people we serve.
“Decisions around public service reform must be made in agreement between Local Government and the Scottish Government and have the endorsement of councils on any issue affecting them.”
There will be no “one size fits all” approach
Public services should be designed with the focus being on outcomes, not organisational structures.
Services should remain local and closest to communities by default, work regionally where scale adds value, and operate nationally only where there is a clear benefit. Protecting local accountability of our public services is essential. Councils already have practical proposals for greater collaboration, shared services and stronger partnership working across the public sector.
Social care must remain local
Council Leaders have once again reaffirmed that social care and social work services must remain within Local Government and be accountable to local communities.
Social care and social work should be an equal partner to the NHS not subordinated to it.
Any approach to social care reform must recognise that it is not simply about meeting individual needs, but about removing societal and structural barriers, advancing inclusion, and supporting people have choice, control, and be able to participate in their communities. Local Government must be an equal partner in shaping future arrangements.
Communities and Staff Must Be Heard
COSLA is seeking assurance that communities, the workforce and their Trade Unions will be fully involved, and that evidence is not sidelined by a compressed timetable. Scotland already has a strong foundation for reform through years of work on local democracy and democratic literacy.
The Financial Case for Public Service Reform
Councils need clarity on expected costs, savings, risks and the investment required to make any change successful. Public Service Reform cannot become a vehicle for cutting the Local Government settlement, and we cannot afford to put our communities at risk like that. Sustainable reform requires funding certainty, investment in prevention and resources that match responsibilities.
Looking at the Whole System
A debate on local governance must not focus solely on councils. COSLA believes there is a strong case for considering whether some functions currently delivered nationally could benefit from local democratic accountability. Councils recognise and have been progressing opportunities for greater collaboration across the wider public sector – but these should be underpinned by local knowledge and understanding of needs.
Key Messages from COSLA Leaders
A planned approach to Public Service Reform must be agreed jointly between Local Government and Scottish Government, be flexible and asymmetric recognising the different geographies, demographics and needs across Scotland.
Consideration should be given to a range of services not currently within the remit of local government that should be brought closer to local democratic accountability, such as public health, transport and further and higher education;
Council Tax reform must be delivered on – Local Government has been seeking this for over a decade and the analysis published today shows public support for the case for change.
Social care and social work services must remain within Local Government and not be over-medicalised.
Communities, staff and trade unions must have a meaningful role in shaping Public Service Reform.
Public Service Reform must respect the Verity House Agreement, the European Charter on Local Self Government, and local democratic mandates.
Local government elections in May 2027 should not be affected by Public Service Reform proposals, and the election timeline should be considered in this process.
The workforce impacts must be carefully considered and addressed, prior to any agreement on change.
Greater clarity is needed on the financial implications of Public Service Reform.
Scotland’s public services will be strengthened not by imposing structures from the top down, but by working with councils, communities and the workforce to deliver better outcomes for people.
COSLA has written to Shona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, on behalf of Scottish Local Government after the Scottish Budget which took place on the 13th January 2026.
COSLA Leaders have since met to discuss the 2026/27 Scottish Budget and Local Government Settlement. Our Leaders agreed that this year’s settlement is a very poor settlement for local government which fails to address the dire financial situation of local government.
Further, it was noted that the settlement does not offer the urgent financial support required for social care and social work.
It is time for a new crusade for devolution within Scotland, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander will say today
In a speech to council leaders, the Secretary of State for Scotland will make clear that there is no route to a decent and prosperous Scotland without strong and effective councils. And to ensure that, the Scottish Government must properly devolve funding and powers to Scotland’s local authorities.
Mr Alexander will set out how the promise of devolution has not been delivered, with the Scottish Government deprioritising councils for funding, and centralising powers at Holyrood.
Twenty five years on from the advent of devolution, Mr Alexander will call for a new crusade for devolution within Scotland, for a proper debate on the delivery of powers from Holyrood to the regions and communities of Scotland.
Mr Alexander is expected to say: “During recent decades, Scottish local government has been systematically deprioritised for funding. Scotland’s local authorities have watched their powers being pulled to Holyrood rather than further devolved to local communities.
“There has never been a point where councils have been so persistently on the defensive – fighting cuts on an annual basis in order to defend an ever-shrinking core of services from further erosion.
“The Scottish Parliament should have heralded a new era of powers, esteem and resource – not just for Scotland, but also for Scottish local government. And yet the reality is that Scottish local government has been systematically starved of funds over the last two decades.
“At exactly the same time as these funding cuts we have also seen the systematic centralisation of decision-making in Holyrood, including on policing and fire and rescue. At the same time the Scottish Government has constrained council tax powers via national freezes and caps.
“It is now time for a new crusade for devolution within Scotland, to reach back to the core principles upon which our parliament was founded and restore the values of devolution. We must allow the Scottish Parliament to realise its potential to deliver change and reform for the people of Scotland. And Scotland’s local authorities, regardless of party allegiance, must be at the forefront of that cause.”
Mr Alexander will make clear this debate must be guided by the principle that powers are best exercised as close as possible to the people, rather than hoarded centrally, to the exclusion of local decision-making and accountability.
Whilst some public bodies and councils are working well together to tackle flooding, they face gaps in leadership, skills and data, and there is uncertainty about funding. This is limiting what can be achieved and opportunities to maximise the benefit of money spent are being missed.
Climate change is increasing the severity and frequency of flooding in Scotland, with almost 400,000 properties potentially at risk by 2080. But there is a risk that the action needed to prevent and tackle the already clear harms of flooding won’t happen at the scale and speed needed.
With the Scottish Government placing much more emphasis on flood resilience, there remain multiple barriers to effective collaboration across the public sector and to support communities. There is a lack of clarity in roles, responsibilities and funding. More also needs to be done to support communities to prepare for, and recover from, flooding.
The process for allocating funding for major flood schemes is currently not fit for purpose. Existing major flood schemes are taking longer to complete, with expected costs more than doubling to over £1 billion. This means that fewer homes and communities are protected than originally expected.
Almost 400,000 properties in Scotland could be affected by flooding by 2080.
Urgent action is needed from the Scottish Government and other public bodies to better protect communities from flooding.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland said: “The Scottish Government and other public bodies must urgently address critical gaps in roles, responsibilities, information and data. Failing to do this risks ambitions to build communities that can better withstand and recover from flooding.
“Whilst there are good examples of the Scottish Government collaborating with councils, communities and other public bodies, this isn’t sufficient given the scale of future risks.
“It is vital that greater certainty and clarity about the funding available for major flood schemes is provided, with costs and impacts managed and measured, and national agreement on collaborating and engaging with communities secured.”
Andrew Burns, Deputy Chair of the Accounts Commission, said: “Communities are at the heart of future flood resilience. Whilst there are good examples of the work councils are doing, they face significant challenges. There are gaps in the data they need, uncertainty over funding and a shortage of skilled staff.
‘There are inconsistencies in the advice, money and support to enable communities to become both more resilient to flooding events and recover more quickly.
“These challenges need to be addressed by both local and national government.”
Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use.
The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.
Funding will also help to train and induct new staff, grow services and ensure empty homes are utilised, including by increasing support for local authorities to make compulsory purchase orders.
Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said: “Bringing homes back into use is a vital part of our plan to tackle the housing emergency. When too many families are struggling to find somewhere to live, it is unacceptable to me that that houses should lie empty.
“It’s important to help councils step up measures to turn privately-owned empty properties into much-needed homes and it’s encouraging that local authorities have already come forward to make use of this support.
“As the First Minister has set out, this government is determined to eradicate child poverty – and tackling the housing emergency by making sure families have access to a home is a crucial part of that.”
Scottish Empty Homes Partnership National Manager Tahmina Nizam said: “Every home matters as we work together to end Scotland’s housing emergency.
“In councils across the country Empty Homes Officers are delivering results, with over 11,000 homes having brought back into use since 2010. The additional posts supported by this funding will expand on that vital work.
“New Empty Homes Officers are already in post at City of Edinburgh Council, while recruitment is underway in several other local authorities.
“Homes weren’t built to sit empty; every empty home has the potential to transform a family or individuals’ life but collectively they have an enormous role to play in reducing housing need and tackling the housing emergency.
“We look forward to welcoming more new Empty Homes Officers as they come into post and supporting their efforts to bring more homes back into use.”
The charity Crimestoppers Scotland has launched a new campaign appealing for information about the dangerous and illegal use of off-road motorbikes and other mechanically propelled bikes across Scotland.
There has been rising concerns and reports from communities across Scotland over the illegal use of off-road bikes and other mechanically propelled bikes including mopeds, e-bikes and e-scooters.
Complaints often centre around off-road bikes becoming a threat to the public as the bikes are ridden recklessly in residential areas, town centres, on pavements and in green spaces – with no concern from the riders for their own safety or that of the public.
Crimestoppers spoke to people in Scotland who has been directly affected by dangerous and illegal use of off-road bikes:
A Farmer in Dumfries told us his fields had been ripped up overnight, costing thousands in repairs and increased security costs.
An elderly lady in Edinburgh almost stepped in front of a bus to prevent a bike on the pavement from crashing into her.
In February Whinhill Golf Club in Greenock experienced extensive damage to the greens and fairways.
Angela Parker, National Manager, Crimestoppers Scotland, said: “We heard from many people who felt scared and threatened by the increased use of illegal off-road bikes. This illegal activity also damages the environment and heritage, taking years to recovers and costing thousands to repair.
“Our campaign aims to support communities in reporting anonymously to our charity and providing information on where people can safely and legally enjoy riding their bike.”
Victims and Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown, said: “I’m pleased to support this important campaign.
“Using off-road vehicles illegally is dangerous, anti-social and can cause huge disruption to residents in local communities as well as causing damage to parks, playing fields and the natural environment.
Crimestoppers enables individuals to report crime anonymously and these reports help the police to tackle this crime. Together, we can make a real difference.”
Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “These bikes are causing untold damage and misery in our community, damaging public and private property and leaving residents feeling scared and intimidated, which is simply unacceptable.
“Areas like Grieve Road have been particularly affected by the rise in off-road bikes and the course at Whinhill Golf Club, which the council owns, has also been damaged so there is a cost to the taxpayers to repair the fairways and greens, not to mention the inconvenience caused for golfers and staff.
“As with most things, the authorities need the help of the public to tackle this problem by reporting illegal and anti-social activity and Crimestoppers is a way in which people can do that and do it completely anonymously.”
Useful information includes:
Who is riding them illegally and what they were wearing?
The names of those responsible for putting the public and themselves in danger.
Where are they being stored?
The exact location, date and time the bike/s were seen?
Anything distinctive: colour, make, number plate details.
If you own or ride an off-road bike or other mechanically propelled bike, (that includes e-bikes and e-scooters), you must ensure that you comply with UK law. Our campaign webpage gives useful information on all manner of bikes.
To pass on information about the illegal use of off-road bikes completely anonymously, visit the Crimestoppers website (Crimestoppers-uk.org). You can fill in a safe and secure form or you can call the 24/7 UK-based Contact Centre on 0800 555 111. Young people can also report crime via the charity’s youth service website Fearless.org.
Please note: With Crimestoppers-uk.org and Fearless.org, computer IP addresses are never traced and no-one will ever know you contacted them.
For telephone calls to Crimestoppers via 0800 555 111, there is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and calls have never been traced.
£1.6 billion investment to tackle scourge of potholes to be delivered to councils from next month as PM tells councils to put cash to use
for the first time every council in England must publish how many potholes they’ve filled or lose road cash
local authorities that comply will receive their full share of the £500 million roads pot – enough to fill the equivalent of 7 million potholes a year, as part of the government’s Plan for Change
UK government also announces £4.8 billion for 25/26 for motorways and major A-roads including economy boosting road schemes on the A47 and M3
The public will now see exactly what’s being done to tackle potholes, as the government demands councils prove their progress or face losing cash.
From mid-April, local authorities in England will start to receive their share of the government’s record £1.6bn highway maintenance funding, including an extra £500m – enough to fill 7 million potholes a year.
But to get the full amount, all councils in England must from today (24 March 2025) publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. Local authorities who fail to meet these strict conditions will see 25% of the uplift (£125m in total) withheld.
Also today, the Transport Secretary has unveiled £4.8bn funding for 2025/6 for National Highways to deliver critical road schemes and maintain motorways and major A-roads.
This cash will mean getting on with pivotal schemes in construction, such as the A428 Black Cat scheme in Cambridgeshire, and starting vital improvements to the A47 around Norwich and M3 J9 scheme in Hampshire, building thousands of new homes, creating high-paid jobs, connecting ports and airports, to grow the economy and deliver the Plan for Change.
It comes as figures from the RAC show drivers encounter an average of 6 potholes per mile in England and Wales, and pothole damage to cars costs an average £600 to fix. According to the AA, fixing potholes is a priority for 96% of drivers.
This government is delivering its Plan for Change to rebuild Britain and deliver national renewal through investment in our vital infrastructure which will drive growth and put more money in working people’s pockets by saving them costs on repairs.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “The broken roads we inherited are not only risking lives but also cost working families, drivers and businesses hundreds – if not thousands of pounds – in avoidable vehicle repairs.
“Fixing the basic infrastructure this country relies on is central to delivering national renewal, improving living standards and securing Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.
“Not only are we investing an additional £4.8 billion to deliver vital road schemes and maintain major roads across the country to get Britain moving, next month we start handing councils a record £1.6 billion to repair roads and fill millions of potholes across the country.
“British people are bored of seeing their politicians aimlessly pointing at potholes with no real plan to fix them. That ends with us. We’ve done our part by handing councils the cash and certainty they need – now it’s up to them to get on with the job, put that money to use and prove they’re delivering for their communities.”
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “After years of neglect we’re tackling the pothole plague, building vital roads and ensuring every penny is delivering results for the taxpayer.
“The public deserves to know how their councils are improving their local roads, which is why they will have to show progress or risk losing 25 per cent of their £500m funding boost.
“Our Plan for Change is reversing a decade of decline and mending our pothole-ridden roads which damage cars and make pedestrians and cyclists less safe.”
To ensure councils are taking action, they must now publish reports on their websites by 30 June 2025, detailing how much they are spending, how many potholes they have filled, what percentage of their roads are in what condition, and how they are minimising streetworks disruption.
They will also be required to show how they are spending more on long-term preventative maintenance programmes and that they have robust plans for the wetter winters the country is experiencing – making potholes worse.
By the end of October, councils must also show they are ensuring communities have their say on what work they should be doing, and where. The public can also help battle back against pothole ridden roads by reporting them to their local council, via a dedicated online portal.
To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.
Edmund King, AA president and member of the Pothole Partnership, said: “Getting councils to show value for money before getting full funding is a big step in the right direction, as it will encourage a more concerted attack on the plague of potholes.
“At the same time, local authorities can share best practice, so others can learn what new innovations and planned maintenance techniques have worked for them.”
The £4.8bn for National Highways will protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country for people, businesses and freight to help drive for growth as part of Plan for Change.
The £4.8bn includes a record £1.3bn investment to keep this vital network in good repair, so the network remains fit for the future, and £1.8bn for National Highways’ daily operations that are critical to ensuring the network runs safely and smoothly for millions of people and businesses that rely on it every day. As well as £1.3bn for essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing.
Since entering office, the UK government has approved over £200m for the A47 Thickthorn Junction, and £290m for M3 Junction 9 plus £90m for local road schemes like the A130 Fairglen Interchange, the South-East Aylesbury Link Road, the A350 Chippenham Bypass, the A647 scheme in Leeds. This is a total of over £580m for schemes to get Britain moving.
Union says workers are being ‘grossly undervalued’ compared with UK council counterparts
Unite has confirmed that its committee for local government workers has rejected the latest COSLA pay offer following a meeting in Glasgow yesterday (22 July 2024).
Unite said no ‘extra cash’ has been added to the new pay offer by COSLA, which amounts to a 3.2 per cent increase for a one-year period between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. COSLA has taken two months to shift from its previous offer, which was also rejected outright by Unite on 24 May.
Unite is highlighting that the new pay offer ‘grossly undervalues’Scottish council workers in contrast with the offer made to UK counterparts.
An offer of £1,290 has been made to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the National Joint Council (NJC). This equates to a rise of 67p per hour or 5.2% for a council worker earning around £25,000 based on a 37-hour week. In contrast, the COSLA offer of 3.2% equates to £800 or a 41p per hour increase.
The pay offer difference means that a Scottish council worker would need to earn above £40,000 to match the offer being made to council workers across the UK. This means the lowest paid council workers are being disproportionately hit by COSLA’s offer.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “COSLA has taken months to put a new offer to our local government membership, and it’s one that does absolutely nothing to address more than a decade of deep cuts to pay and services.
“Unless COSLA and the Scottish government move quickly to make an acceptable offer then mountains of rubbish will pile up across the nation’s streets. The politicians have a choice, and one more chance, to resolve this pay dispute before strike action.”
Unite has the largest union membership on the verge of participating in a first wave of strike action involving waste workers, street cleaners, and recycling centre operators.
The union has strike action mandates involving thousands of its members across 16 councils, and it is in the process of re-balloting workers in 5 other councils (see notes to editor).
Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer, added: “COSLA’s latest pay offer doesn’t add any extra cash. It continues to grossly undervalue Scotland’s council workers compared with the offer made to their counterparts across the UK.
“A stinking Scottish summer looms unless COSLA and the Scottish government quickly sort this out by injecting more cash into a new offer. Any offer will need to value the lowest paid council workers, at least, on similar terms as the offer made to other UK council workers.”
“The Scottish government can no longer sit idly by, we are on the brink of nationwide strike action which could last for months.”
SAVE Britain’s Heritage has launched a public petition calling on the Scottish Parliament to host a national debate to bolster safeguards for threatened listed buildings
The petition, validated on 6th June 2024 by the Scottish Parliament, calls for an urgent Parliamentary debate to address a gap in legislation that leaves listed buildings across the country vulnerable to demolition.
The current loophole allows councils to demolish listed buildings under emergency public safety powers without providing evidence to justify their actions.
The case follows the highly controversial demolition of Category B listed Ayr Station Hotel by South Ayrshire Council which is still on going.
It has been carried out due to public safety concerns, following a major arson attack last year, but without the reports or surveys to justify the decision being made public and without providing evidence that alternatives to total demolition were robustly explored.
While fully recognising the paramount importance of making dangerous buildings safe, enhanced guidance is needed to address this policy gap, setting out the minimum structural evidence and process before undertaking demolition works to listed buildings on public safety grounds, including when consulting national heritage advisor Historic Environment Scotland. This will ensure only the minimum demolition necessary takes place to make the building safe, avoiding excessive or total demolition.
SAVE’s petition is calling for policy safeguards to ensure that listed buildings like Ayr Station Hotel cannot be demolished without robust and transparent justification.
We are specifically calling for the following policy controls to be introduced alongside existing public safety legislation:
1. Enhanced policy guidance setting out the minimum evidence and processes required by local planning authorities before making decisions on demolition of listed buildings under emergency powers
2. A mandatory policy requirement for local planning authorities to engage conservation-accredited engineers in all cases involving listed buildings
Henrietta Billings, director of SAVE Britain’s Heritage, said:“We see a huge opportunity in bringing this national issue to the attention of MSPs and opening a much-needed debate on the protection of listed buildings across the country.
“These buildings are gifts to the nation from the past – and we should be taking every step necessary to ensure they are protected from unnecessary demolition – as is intended by the legislation.”
Paul Sweeney MSP, Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow, said:“This petition addresses a glaring loophole in existing policy. It is not acceptable that councils can demolish listed buildings in Scotland – using so-called public safety powers – without providing evidence to show that there is no alternative to demolition.
“It is my hope that the Scottish Parliament’s petitions committee backs this petition so that we can strengthen protections of listed buildings in Scotland.”
Jocelyn Cunliffe, acting chair of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland, said: “The AHSS supports SAVE’s petition to the Scottish Government to provide enhanced safeguards for listed buildings across Scotland.
“Local authorities are empowered to act timeously to save listed buildings and it is imperative that all options be considered and that there are adequate checks and balances before demolition, which should be a last resort, takes place.”
Joe Traynor, director of The Scottish Civic Trust, said:“The Scottish Civic Trust endorses SAVE’s petition which encourages policy makers to respect and boost the protection of Scotland’s historic buildings.
“These need to be protected, reused and celebrated as unique to the make-up of our communities and places.”
Current conflict of interest
In cases involving the use of emergency powers on grounds of public safety, current legislation creates a potential conflict of interest for Local Authorities between the legal duty of Planning Departments to protect listed buildings under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1997 and the duty of Building Control Departments to make any dangerous building safe, including via demolition, under Section 29 of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003.
The drawn-out demolition of large parts of Ayr’s Category B listed Station Hotel by South Ayrshire Council following an arson attack which damaged the building in September 2023, has brought this issue into the national spotlight.
Following the fire, the Council assumed legal responsibility for the site, with Building Control proceeding to demolish the south wing of the building, without publishing detailed evidence to justify its actions, and no requirement to gain approval from Historic Environment Scotland before doing so.
SAVE has remained consistently opposed to the council’s decision to pursue demolition and raised these issues of national heritage importance at a specially convened cross party round table at the Scottish Parliament in November 2023.
Photos published with this press release show the devastating impact of the demolition of the Station Hotel’s highly ornate south wing – and subsequently much more of the building.
In February, SAVE called for the retention of the listed building’s surviving north wing and tower as a key priority in South Ayrshire Council’s emerging vision for Ayr Town Centre which went out for public consultation in January 2024. These sections of the listed building were far less extensively impacted by the fire in September 2023 and could have formed the foundation for a refurbished modern railway station without tearing the heart out of the town.
However, South Ayrshire Council began demolition of the tower and a substantial portion of the north wing in April 2024, on the grounds of public safety. Yesterday, the council announced that this demolition is “on target” to be complete by 17th June 2024. A Dangerous Buildings Notice has been issued by South Ayrshire Council requiring the owner of the building to make the surviving section of the north wing safe.
SAVE’s petition, which addresses this loophole in legislation which allows councils to demolish listed buildings under emergency public safety powers without providing robust justification, was published on 6th June 2024 by the Scottish Parliament and is now open to signatures.
The next stage will be consideration at an upcoming Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee (CPPPC) meeting, at which point the committee will decide on what action will be taken.
This can include asking for a debate about the petition in the chamber or recommending actions for the Scottish Government. SAVE’s petition has called for an urgent Parliamentary debate.
