Tag: local government

SNP MSP welcomes Edinburgh teachers accepting two-year pay deal

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald has welcomed news that teachers across Edinburgh have accepted a two-year pay offer which ensures that Scotland’s classroom teachers will remain the best paid in the UK. 

The Teachers’ Panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers has this week accepted the offer tabled by local authorities’ umbrella body Cosla. The terms include a 4% pay increase in 2025/26 followed by an additional 0.25% in April and 3.25% next August. 

The SNP in government continues to prioritise investment in our children and young people’s education, investing £4.3 billion into Scotland’s education system in 2025-26. 

Thanks to this investment, Scotland has a higher spending per pupil than any other devolved UK nation and has the lowest pupil to teacher ratios. 

Local SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald said: “I am pleased that teachers across the city have accepted this pay offer, which will ensure that Scottish teachers on the main-grade scale will continue to be the best paid in the UK. 

“By investing in children and young people’s education, the SNP is helping to break the poverty-related cycle. 

“Under this SNP government, the poverty-related gap for young people leaving school and going on to a positive destination has reduced by 60 per cent since 2009 – narrowing at all three key qualification levels. 

“I am delighted that our incredible teachers will continue to be well-paid for the fantastic job they do in improving the lives of young people both in Edinburgh Pentlands and the wider city.”

COSLA is pleased to note that the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) panel have accepted a two-year pay award.

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann welcomed the news, commenting: “The award secures pay uplifts for Scottish Teachers and associated professionals for the period 1st August 2025 to 31st July 2027.”

The latest pay agreement means Scotland’s Teachers will receive:

  • A 4% increase from 1/8/25 rising to 4.25% on 1/4/26
  • A 3.25% increase on 1/8/26

Councillor Hagmann continued: “Councils will now work to implement the first uplift over the next weeks as payroll schedules allow.”

Scottish Secretary: Power to the People!

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.

Top councillors in Scotland recognised at annual Cllr Awards

The top councillors from across Scotland have been recognised at the 2025 LGIU & CCLA Cllr Awards which took place last night at Glasgow’s City Chambers.

These are the only national awards dedicated to celebrating the extraordinary work of councillors in Scotland. No Edinburgh councillors received awards this year.

The 2025 winners are:

Read more about the winners here.

This year’s competition was extremely tight with nominations received across five categories that celebrate the wide-ranging work of councillors. From championing residents’ interests to leading innovation in public services, councillors play a crucial role in shaping communities and improving lives, dedicating their time and energy to what is often a voluntary, unpaid role.

Winners were chosen by a judging panel of senior councillors and leading stakeholders from across the sector. These important Awards – a staple in the local government calendar –  are made possible thanks to the generous support of founding partner CCLA.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) said: “Councillors work tirelessly to support their communities and drive change.

“These awards are about celebrating the often unseen but hugely important contribution councillors make every day. This year’s winners are a real testament to the dedication, creativity and leadership shown by councillors across Scotland.”

Lee Jagger, Local Government Relationship Manager, CCLA said: “Councillors sit at the heart of our communities, and these awards are a chance to spotlight the meaningful, real-world difference they deliver every day.

“Their dedication improves lives in countless, practical ways. At a time when councils are navigating extraordinary pressures, the Cllr Awards are a powerful reminder of just how essential our councillors and councils are.”

COSLA launch Local Government Promise Annual Report 2025

COSLA has launched the ‘Local Government Promise Annual Report 2025.’

2025 marks the halfway point in Scotland’s journey to Keep The Promise – a commitment made in response to the Independent Care Review to transform the lives of babies, children and young people experiencing care by 2030.

This milestone encourages reflection on the achievements over the last 5 years, as well as the barriers to change and what needs to happen next.

Councillor Tony Buchanan, COSLA’s Children and Young People spokesperson, commented: “2025 marks a key milestone in Scotland’s journey to Keep The Promise. As we reach the halfway point, this report offers a powerful reflection on both the achievements and the realities of delivering change.

“Local Government remains deeply committed to supporting babies, children, young people and families.

“Across Scotland, councils are delivering vital services shaped by strong relationships with local communities and a clear understanding of their needs.

“But pressures on the system, including workforce shortages, financial constraints, and complex policy demands, are real. Despite this, councils continue to lead with dedication and innovation.

“We stand firmly behind our local teams and the communities they serve. To truly keep the promise, ambition must be matched by investment, and policy must be realistic and coherent. Progress has been made, but we must go further and faster.“

Download The Promise – Annual Report 2025 PDF, 389.28 KB

COSLA calls for urgent action to address Scotland’s crisis in social care

Councils Leaders have issued a stark warning about the growing crisis in social care, urging the need for social care funding to be a clear and focused national priority.

Following a meeting of Council Leaders, COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly said: ‘Social care underpins everything we value most within our communities – from dignity in later life, supporting people in their unpaid caring roles, to enabling people to live independently and participate fully in society.

“Local Government has consistently prioritised social care, protecting budgets where possible and working tirelessly to maintain services despite severe and well-evidenced financial pressures.

“But Local Government cannot do this alone. Demand is increasing, costs are rising, and the workforce is under immense strain. Without fair and sustainable funding, we risk the viability of services that people rely on every single day.

“Local Government is doing everything possible to sustain vital care and support services, but without urgent investment from Scottish Government to enable us to commission and deliver more care, the system is at breaking point. That is why as part of COSLA’s manifesto we are calling on the next Scottish Government to invest £750m into social care services.

“We urge a national focus on addressing the workforce and financial crisis social care is experiencing, to ensure those who need support are not left without the help they need to live fulfilling lives.”

COSLA, Scottish Government, care providers, and system leaders had been meeting in the first half of 2025 as part of the jointly convened Financial Viability Response Group to address risks and impacts of funding challenges across the health and social care sector.

Cllr Kelly continued: ‘It is crucial that we reconvene the social care Financial Viability Response Group immediately.  

“We urge the Scottish Government to engage with us and our valued partners in the third and independent sector through the work of the Group to address the financial and workforce crisis in social care.”

COSLA’s 2026 Manifesto calls for sustainable finance for local services, including calling for an additional investment of £750m for social care: 

COSLA-Manifesto-2026v2 (1)Download

https://www.cosla.gov.uk/manifesto

Audit Scotland recently published a briefing on Local Government budgets for 25/26, which reported a projected revenue budget gap in 26/27 for 31 councils of £528m.

COSLA launches Holyrood Election 2026 Manifesto

For our communities to live well locally, councils are essential. Councils provide safer communities, housing, roads and transportation, education, social work and social care, environmental health, trading standards, mental health services, advice services, employability, recycling and waste services, libraries, leisure facilities and many more vital services that support and create opportunities for every community in Scotland.

This manifesto sets out what local government needs from Scottish Government to continue to serve local communities and enable us all to live well locally.

Our key asks are grouped under six priority areas, divided into ‘enabling priorities’ focusing on key levers at our disposal (finance, workforce and democratic powers) which enable delivery of our ‘outcomes-focused priorities’ (future generations, thriving places and thriving communities).

We need Scottish Government to work together with local government, as equal partners, to deliver lasting change and improve outcomes.

COSLA-Manifesto-2026v2Download

OOR BILLY

BILLY FITZPATRICK HAS DIED AFTER A PERIOD OF ILL HEALTH

Billy’s family posted this very sad news on Facebook yesterday:

This morning he passed away at the Western General surrounded by loves ones.

He asked that friends, family, acquaintances, people from his beloved North Edinburgh, and old comrades were given the news when the time came, and in his own words he had a good kick at the baw.

When funeral arrangements are made we’ll update again, thanks x

A proud trade unionist and a popular local councillor who fought for his community, Billy went on to share his negotiating skills and vast experience when he retired from front-line party politics.

Billy supported a number of important community projects, including Granton Information Centre, Royston Wardieburn Community Centre (he chaired both of these long-established community organisations) and North Edinburgh Arts.

Proud ‘Roystoner’ Billy featured in the recent ‘Quiet Heroes‘ exhibition at Madelvic House granton:hub.

Billy wasn’t always so quiet – it’s fair to say that oor Billy could be passionate, fiery even, and he had his fair share of brushes with the Labour Party hierarchy! – but Royston’s very own Quiet Hero fought North Edinburgh’s corner loyally for over forty years.

A genuine working class community stalwart, they just don’t make politicians like Billy Fitzpatrick any more. And our communities, our cities and our country are all the poorer for that.

Farewell, Billy, my dear old Comrade. We shared many good times together, and some dreadful ones too. Throughout all that time, you never changed: loyal, steadfast and honest to the very end.

How we will miss you.

Helping Ukrainian communities to thrive in Scotland

Funding to support local councils and the third sector

A funding package to support Ukrainian communities and culture in Scotland to flourish has been announced by Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart.

Funding of over £600,000 will support third sector organisations working to support displaced Ukrainians, including community and cultural activities, while a further £3.5m funding for local authorities and COSLA will support displaced Ukrainians, as well as refugees and people seeking asylum, to settle into communities. 

The funding was announced at an event hosted by COSLA, marking a visit to Scotland by a civic delegation of mayors from Ukraine.

Speaking ahead of the event, Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Scotland stands in unwavering solidarity with Ukraine, as it has since Russia’s illegal invasion in 2022.

“More than 28,000 displaced Ukrainians with a Scottish-sponsored visa have arrived in the UK, and we are helping people rebuild their lives here.

“Many of those who left Ukraine shortly after the war outbreak have now been in Scotland for several years, forming thriving Ukrainian communities right across the country. We want those communities to flourish, and this funding will support cultural and social activities and events to strengthen. It will also support services to help people recover from the trauma of fleeing war.

“I’m very pleased to be announcing this funding at the same time as a visit from the Ukrainian rebirth delegation, and I look forward to exploring further opportunities for connection and partnership between Scotland and Ukraine.”

COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson Councillor Maureen Chalmers said: “COSLA is so very pleased to welcome colleagues from Local Government in Ukraine to Verity House today.

“We are also delighted to be working with Scottish Government to host this event, coming together to show our commitment across government in Scotland.

“COSLA has expressed full support and solidarity to the Ukrainian people and our peers in local and regional government, standing ready to support those affected and play a very active part in Ukrainian refugee resettlement.

“COSLA welcomes Scottish Government’s announcement of the continuation of £3.4m resettlement funding for Local Authorities for 2025-26. This funding will play an important role in enabling councils’ ongoing work supporting the integration of Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s illegal war, as well as other people seeking protection in this country.

“We are also very grateful for confirmation of continued funding for COSLA to support the work that we do with our member councils and with Scottish Government in relation to the integration of people displaced from Ukraine, as well as others who are seeking sanctuary here and migrants who are at risk of destitution.”

Funding for Ukrainian communities is as follows:

Third sector funding
AUGB Edinburgh£ 46,786.58
AUGB Glasgow£ 50,820.07
AUGB Dundee£ 52,393.35		£150,000
Barnardo’s£ 50,000
EVOC£ 65,750
Positive Action in Housing£ 42,660
The Welcoming£ 76,500
Ukrainian Community Group South Ayrshire£ 25,000
Scottish Refugee Council£ 200,000
Total third sector funding:£ 609,910
Local authority support 
Funding to support local authority resettlement support£ 3,400,000
Funding for COSLA£ 175,400

This funding is part of a broader package of funding this financial year, which will support Ukrainians and displaced people from all backgrounds settle into life in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: SNP’S £600M raid on Edinburgh revealed

Scottish Labour has revealed the SNP has cut an eye-watering £660 million from Edinburgh Council’s coffers over the last 12 years.

Local authorities across Scotland are currently being forced to make difficult choices to keep services afloat.

New analysis by Scottish Labour has shown that the SNP government cut a cumulative total of £7.8 billion from core Council budgets across Scotland between 2013-14 and 2025-26.

This includes an eyewatering £660 million in Edinburgh Council alone.

Scottish Labour has said these cuts have pushed Edinburgh Council to breaking point and left Scots paying the price for SNP failure.

The effect of this financial vandalism has been evident with core council services facing extreme financial pressure.

Edinburgh is also in the grips of a brutal housing crisis.

Commenting, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian Sarah Boyack said: “Services in Edinburgh are under immense pressure because of the austerity the SNP has inflicted on Councils.

“The SNP government has short-changed Edinburgh Council year after year.

“These brutal cuts have pushed Councils across Scotland to breaking point and forced them to make impossible choices to protect lifeline services.

“Our capital is in desperate need of fair funding as the Council is struggling to deliver vital services with less and less resources.

“The Labour UK Government decisively ended the era of Tory austerity, but Scots are still being forced to pay the price for SNP failure.

“A Scottish Labour Government will put an end to SNP mismanagement and cuts and deliver fair funding for Edinburgh so working people don’t have to plug the gaps of government cuts.”

Scottish Labour Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury added: “Years of the SNP Government underfunding our councils is hitting residents harder than ever.

“From social care, third sector services or the extortionate cost of housing the public are being forced to bear the consequences of SNP mismanagement yet again; Edinburgh and Lothian need a new direction.”

Cumulative cuts to core Council budgets, 2013-14 to 2025-26:

Local authorityTotal (£m)[FIGURE A]
Aberdeen City-107.7
Aberdeenshire-51.1
Angus-132.2
Argyll & Bute-376.9
Clackmannanshire-74.1
Dumfries & Galloway-329.0
Dundee City-231.1
East Ayrshire-136.1
East Dunbartonshire-45.1
East Lothian-49.7
East Renfrewshire-59.4
Edinburgh, City of-660.9
Eilean Siar-251.2
Falkirk-184.0
Fife-303.8
Glasgow City-1,544.0
Highland-443.3
Inverclyde-200.3
Midlothian3.6
Moray-28.8
North Ayrshire-158.7
North Lanarkshire-613.0
Orkney-92.3
Perth & Kinross-102.2
Renfrewshire-233.1
Scottish Borders-143.3
Shetland-223.6
South Ayrshire-120.1
South Lanarkshire-483.6
Stirling-100.8
West Dunbartonshire-217.0
West Lothian-88.7
Total-7,781.6

Fundamental review needed of planning and resourcing of additional support for learning

The Scottish Government and councils must fundamentally rethink how they plan, fund and staff additional support for learning as part of core school education in Scotland.

Since legislation in 2004 to make additional support for learning (ASL) more inclusive, there has been an eight-fold increase in pupils recorded as receiving ASL; currently 40 per cent of Scottish pupils – or 285,000 children – receive ASL. Almost all support is now delivered in mainstream classrooms, and it has become an increasingly central part of what teachers do.

The Scottish Government failed to plan for the impacts of this inclusive approach, and poor data means it is not possible to determine the scale, complexity and nature of needs across Scotland. The Scottish Government and councils urgently need better information to understand pupils’ needs and appropriate level of resource to support them.

Existing measures show a wide gap in outcomes for pupils receiving additional support compared with other pupils, including being more likely to be absent or excluded from school. More appropriate ways of measuring the achievements of pupils who receive ASL are still to be developed.

Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government has failed to plan effectively for its inclusive approach to additional support for learning. Current gaps in data mean it is unclear whether all children’s right to have an education that fully develops their personality, talents and abilities is being met.

“The Scottish Government and councils urgently need better quality data to understand pupils’ additional support needs and the resources required to provide support to enable all pupils to reach their full potential.”

https://twitter.com/i/status/1895030093891731696

Ruth MacLeod, Member of the Accounts Commission, said: “Councils and the Scottish Government must fundamentally rethink how additional support for learning is planned and provided as a core part of Scotland’s school education.

“This includes reviewing how mainstream and special education is provided to meet current and future additional support needs and demands.

“It is critical they work with pupils, parents and carers and staff throughout this process.”

COSLA’s Children and Young People Spokesperson, Councillor Tony Buchanan @antbuc1), has commented following report published today about Additional Support For Learning from the Auditor General and Accounts Commission.

The Auditor General and Accounts Commission published a briefing paper on additional support for learning (ASL) on 27th February 2025. It makes a series of recommendations to Scottish Government and Councils, touching on data, measuring the outcomes of children and young people with additional support needs, funding, workforce planning and school buildings.

The COSLA Children and Young People Board will discuss the briefing at their meeting on 7th March.

Councillor Tony Buchanan, said: “Local Government is fully committed to supporting all children and young people to learn and to providing opportunities so that they can realise their full potential. The briefing paper published by the Auditor General and Accounts Commission on additional support for learning is welcomed.

The COSLA Children and Young People Board will be updated next week, with an initial consideration of the recommendations. COSLA, alongside the Scottish Government, co-chair the Additional Support for Learning Project Board.

“There will be an opportunity for the project board to consider the recommendations fully when they meet next month and consider how these can inform their priorities.”

briefing_250227_additional_support_for_learningDownload