This week’s COSLA Explains looks at how the Local Government workforce could be impacted by public service reform proposals and why trade unions, staff, and employers must be meaningfully involved in shaping reform:
COSLA today commented on education reform as part of the Scottish Government’s Public Service Reform proposals.
The First Ministers publication of a proposal to move to fewer regional councils and create many community authorities creates extensive structural reform which carries significant financial, operational, democratic and service-continuity risks, with transition costs and benefits not yet quantified or thought through.
COSLA and Scottish Local Government has long supported reform, but reform that makes the most of the democratic spheres we have. We must recognise the separate roles but collective responsibilities we have to deliver vital public services to the people of Scotland. Doing so creates a Scotland where all children and young people can grow up feeling loved, safe and respected so that they realise their full potential.
The integrated services that councils deliver are essential to achieving this. COSLA is clear that structural reorganisation should not be the starting point. Scotland’s education system must instead focus on improving the curriculum, supporting children and families, attracting and retaining a highly skilled workforce, strengthening leadership and ensuring that responsibilities and resources are clear at every level.
Commenting, COSLA spokesperson for Children and Young People, Cllr Tony Buchanan said: “Scotland should be ambitious for every child and young person. Reform must close the gap between a good education system and a great one, while recognising that learning is inseparable from family support, tackling poverty, health, housing and the strength of local communities.
“Structural change is not an outcome in itself. Large-scale reorganisation without a clear, costed and independently tested business case could divert money, time and professional capacity away from classrooms, children and families.
“Councils are uniquely placed to connect education with the wider services that help children and young people thrive. We support reform that strengthens teaching, the curriculum, prevention, workforce planning, regional capacity and accountability, while keeping decisions as close as possible to the communities they affect.
“Our preferred approach is practical, proportionate and evidence-led: agree the functions and outcomes, establish the financial and workforce baselines, test stronger collaboration, and scale or legislate only where independent evaluation shows that change will deliver better outcomes, greater equity and stronger public value.”
Visiting a care home today [Wednesday 29th July], the Prime Minister will say he is making the choice to fix the broken social care system by finding common ground across party lines to tackle the big issues.
He will draw a line under decades of decline and a refusal to tackle these problems head on, calling on all political parties to focus on solving problems and find solutions together.
He will reiterate the need for a new kind of politics that puts differences aside in order to come together and face up to the challenges that Westminster has left unaddressed for too long.
Delivering on that pledge, he has invited the leaders of the two main opposition parties, Kemi Badenoch and Ed Davey, to meet with him today to kickstart this work and discuss how to drive urgent reform on social care.
Speaking ahead of his speech, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: “Last week I said we needed a different kind of politics: problem-solving, not point-scoring. Nowhere is that more urgent than social care.
“For decades, governments have kicked this issue down the road because they’ve seen it as too risky, too difficult, and too complicated.
“Politicians might have different views but I’m serious about fixing this issue and to do that, we have to find common ground and listen to others to find a way forward.
“It’s time to draw a line under people playing politics when the human cost of that means carers struggling, families paying the price and our NHS buckling under the strain.
“This comes down to a choice. We can carry on passing the problem to the next generation, or we can face it head on and work together to build a care system that gives people dignity, security and the support they deserve.
“This is about bringing back hope that we can finally fix the difficult issues that have been ignored for too long, and making Britain believe again. That’s why I’m making this choice and I’m prepared to put everything I’ve got behind it.”
At the speech he will be joined by the Health and Social Care Secretary and Baroness Louise Casey, who is leading the Independent Commission on Adult Social Care which will draw up recommendations to deliver a National Care Service.
She will also launch the Big Conversation on Care today, which will give the public their chance to share their views and help shape the future of adult social care in England so that it is designed for the people it is there to serve.
It will be open to everyone through a new online platform, starting off the conversation by asking people about the values and principles we should all expect from a care system.
Baroness Casey of Blackstock said: “For too long, we have been stuck in the same cycle: crisis, promises of reform, another review, and then retreat, while the people who need care, and their families, bear the brunt.
“Fixing adult social care is about far more than money. People are already paying for failure through council tax, pressure on the NHS, their savings, giving up work, and the forced sale of their homes.
“The choice is whether we keep putting money into a system that is unfair, unpredictable and broken, or have an honest conversation about how to build something better.
“That is why we need a public conversation on care that tackles the tough questions. It’s only by facing up to this problem together that we can fix social care once and for all.”
The Hereditary Peers Bill has passed in the House of Lords in one of the biggest reforms to Parliament and UK democracy in a generation’.
The Bill, which was passed on Tuesday evening, fulfills one of the Government’s key manifesto pledges and marks the completion of work started over 25 years ago to remove the right for hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.
The Government believes that no one should be able to vote on legislation solely on the basis of their inheritance, so reform of this outdated and undemocratic principle has been long overdue.
Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Smith said: “The Lords plays a vital role within our bicameral Parliament, but nobody should sit in the House by virtue of an inherited title. That is why the government committed to removing the remaining hereditary peerages, completing the reforms that were started over a quarter of a century ago.
“Getting this bill through is a major first step towards reform of the Lords, with further changes to follow – including on members’ retirement and participation requirements.”
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: “Hereditary peerages are an archaic and undemocratic principle. I am proud that we have fulfilled a key manifesto pledge of this government.
“Our Parliament should always be a place where talents are recognised and merit counts. It should never be a gallery of old boys’ networks, nor a place where titles, many of which were handed out centuries ago, hold power over the will of the people.”
In making this change, the Government is committed to ensuring that the House can continue to function effectively. The Government has therefore agreed to offer additional life peerages to the Official Opposition and Crossbenchers. As always, it will be for the Opposition to decide which individuals they wish to nominate for peerages.
The Bill is the first step in wider reform to the House of Lords which, besides Lesotho’s Senate, is the only legislative body that still contains a hereditary element. The Government believes that there should not be places in the second chamber of Parliament reserved for those who were born into certain families.
Currently, 92 excepted hereditary peers, which include a range of Dukes, Viscounts, and Earls, can vote on legislation in the Lords. While over 600 hereditary peers were removed from the Lords in the House of Lords Act 1999, 92 were retained as an interim measure.
The Bill will come into effect at the end of this session of Parliament, after which no peer will be a member of the House of Lords on the basis of their hereditary peerage.
IT’S A START, I SUPPOSE …
Legislation to simplify the funding system for learners at college, university and apprentices in Scotland has been given in-principle backing by MSPs.
They voted by 62 to 39 to endorse the general principles of the Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill, ensuring it passes Stage 1 and proceeds to Stage 2 in the Scottish Parliament.
If passed, the Bill will see responsibility for funding national training programmes and apprenticeships move to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) from Skills Development Scotland (SDS). This will consolidate responsibility for provision of tertiary education and training within a redesigned SFC.
The Bill would also strengthen the SFC’s governance powers to allow for more effective oversight of colleges and higher education institutions, including a greater focus on their financial sustainability and the needs of learners.
Higher and Further Education Minister Ben Macpherson said: “At its core, this Bill would better enable funding to go where it matters most, supporting the skills, services and innovation that our economy and learners need to thrive.
“The Bill has been publicly backed by key sector organisations including the Scottish Training Federation, Federation of Small Businesses, Universities Scotland and Colleges Scotland.
“This legislation intends to help build a more coherent, collaborative, flexible system where colleges, universities and training providers all play a collaborative role in delivering high-quality education and training.”
The Scottish Government’s response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee report into the Bill shows a revised highest cost estimate of £21.6 million, a reduction of almost £12 million.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) has today (26 September 2025) published two reports that provide an aggregate picture of the financial health of Scotland’s colleges and universities.
Based on their annual accounts for academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24 and latest forecasts up to 2027-28 for colleges and 2026-27 for universities, the reports provide detailed information at sector level on the operating position, cash balances, sources of income, expenditure, liquidity, cash flow, borrowing and capital expenditure.
Both colleges and universities continue to operate in an extremely tight fiscal environment, with downward trends in cash balances showing both sectors under pressure.
While neither sector is homogenous, and the forecasts represent a snapshot in time, both colleges and universities face similar risks to their financial health, including:
The reports also outline the mitigating actions that colleges and universities are taking to adapt to challenges and uncertainties, including staff restructuring, vacancy management, freezing of non-essential spend, reviewing course portfolios, curriculum rationalisation and consolidation, moves to online and blended learning, delaying capital spend and reviewing estates strategies.
Commenting on the reports, SFC Chair, Professor Cara Aitchison, said: “While these reports represent a snapshot in time, the trends we’re seeing indicate the serious implications of the tight fiscal environment in which colleges and universities are operating and the need for action to address the challenges they face.
“We are encouraged by the proactive steps being taken by institutions as they adapt and build in resilience for this changing environment, recognising that this may include difficult decisions to secure long term financial sustainability which is a requirement of our Financial Memorandum.
“We continue to engage closely with Scottish Ministers on the case for investment in colleges and universities which are the drivers for economic growth, addressing child poverty, supporting the transition to net zero and delivering excellent public services.
“We are also increasing levels of engagement and monitoring activity for those institutions facing the highest risks to their financial health and are working with them to understand and assess plans to bring them back to a sustainable position.”
Principal of Edinburgh College, Audrey Cumberford said: “This report confirms what’s been known for a long time – that the financial situation facing colleges is dire.
“The status quo isn’t an option and urgent action needs to be taken before we see colleges fall further into financial trouble.
“Colleges have the potential to do so much more. By unlocking our potential, restructuring our funding streams and reforming our apprenticeship system we could deliver a brighter future for the whole sector.”
Public protection is at the heart of plans to improve Scotland’s parole system.
We have published a consultation on reform.
Have your say:
UK postal users will have extra protections against long delivery delays, under reforms to the universal service announced today by Ofcom, which will enable Royal Mail to improve reliability and support a sustainable service.
Why reform is needed
Since 2011, Royal Mail has been required under the universal service obligation to deliver First and Second Class letters six days a week. But in that time, the number of letters sent each year has more than halved. With fewer letters being delivered to each house on a given round, the cost of delivering each letter has increased, and Royal Mail has lost hundreds of millions of pounds in recent years.[1]
Urgent reform is needed for the universal service to survive. To put the service on a more sustainable footing, to prevent people from paying higher prices than necessary, and to push Royal Mail to improve reliability, Ofcom has today made changes to the obligations imposed on the company.
This follows public consultation with thousands of people and organisations – including consumer groups, unions, small businesses, public services, Royal Mail and the wider postal industry, as well as postal users directly – from right across the UK.
We have also launched a review of pricing and affordability, which will consider concerns that many people and organisations have raised about stamp prices. We plan to consult on this next year.
Natalie Black, Ofcom’s Group Director for Networks and Communications, said: “These changes are in the best interests of consumers and businesses, as urgent reform of the postal service is necessary to give it the best chance of survival.
“But changing Royal Mail’s obligations alone won’t guarantee a better service – the company now has to play its part and implement this effectively. We’ll be making sure Royal Mail is clear with its customers about what’s happening, and passes the benefits of these changes on to them.
“As part of this process, we’ve been listening to concerns about increases in stamp prices. So we’ve launched a review of affordability and plan to publicly consult on this next year.”
What reform will deliver
Our research suggests that affordability and reliability are more important to people than speed of delivery, but they value having a next-day service available for when they need to send the occasional urgent item. Royal Mail will therefore continue to be required to deliver First Class letters the next working day, Monday to Saturday, and there will continue to be a cap on the price of a Second Class stamp.
However, people have told us that most letters are not urgent, and they do not need six days a week delivery for the majority of letters. So, from 28 July, we will allow Royal Mail to deliver Second Class letters on alternate weekdays – still within three working days of collection – Monday to Friday.[2]
We estimate Royal Mail could realise annual net cost savings of between £250m and £425m with successful implementation of this change, enabling it to invest more in improving its delivery performance. We have told Royal Mail to hold regular meetings with consumer bodies and industry groups to hear about the experiences of people and businesses as it implements these changes.[3]
Our research also shows that small reductions in Royal Mail’s delivery targets would continue to meet people’s needs. Maintaining the current targets – which are more stretching than comparable European countries – would carry higher costs which would need to be recovered through higher prices.
So, we are making small changes to Royal Mail’s existing delivery targets – for First Class mail from 93% to 90% delivered next-day, and for Second Class mail from 98.5% to 95% delivered within three days. These new targets are high by international standards.[4]
However, many people have experienced long delays where letters have taken weeks to arrive.
To address this issue, we have set Royal Mail new enforceable backstop targets so that 99% of mail has to be delivered no more than two days late.
LONG-TERM FOCUS ON PREVENTION AND SERVICE RENEWAL
Supporting people to lead longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives will be at the heart of two new ten-year plans published today to create and maintain good health, prevent disease and reform health and social care services.
The Population Health Framework aims to tackle the root causes of poor health and outlines a wide range of actions, including giving greater access to green spaces and opportunities for sport and active recreation.
Addressing these underlying factors can increase life expectancy, reduce the gap between the most deprived communities and the national average and prevent chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease which disproportionately affect those in more disadvantaged areas.
The Population Health Framework includes legislating to make the balance of foods available on promotion healthier and to restrict the location of less healthy foods in stores and on websites.
Targeting the location and promotion of foods high in fat, salt or sugar will focus on those foods of most concern for childhood obesity, which mirrors the current policy in England and Wales.
The Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework aims to ensure health and social care services are sustainable, efficient, high quality, and accessible – which includes being able to expect faster and fairer access to care.
It empowers people to be more involved in and in charge of their own care and includes measures to improve access to treatment in the community; enhance preventative services and maximise the opportunities of digital innovation.
There will also be a new national body called NHS Delivery, created by bringing together NHS National Services Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland.
This will provide a focal point for training, digital and support to other health boards, with scope to deliver more national support to local services in future.
Health Secretary Neil Gray visited Blackburn Partnership Centre in West Lothian with COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly before launching the frameworks in the Scottish Parliament.
The centre includes a GP practice and community centre which promotes weight loss and healthy living through exercise and low-cost, nutritious food.
Mr Gray said: “Too many lives are cut short in Scotland because of illness that is preventable. We know health is not determined solely by what happens within the walls of hospitals or care homes and we want to create an environment in which everyone can live a healthy life.
“Through action on early years, jobs, income and building powerful communities the Population Health Framework builds the conditions to help people thrive and prevent poor health.
“Addressing the problem of obesity and helping people eat well and maintain a healthy weight is a public health priority. We are taking wide-ranging action to support people to make healthier food choices, recognising the contribution which poor diet makes to worsening health trends.
“Through the Service Renewal Framework we will take action to deliver care closer to home, support people to better manage their own treatment and build on innovation, digital and treatment advances.
“This will help shape an efficient health and social care system that is focused on prevention and early intervention, and delivers high quality care at the right time in the right place. The creation of a new national body, NHS Delivery, will help to support that journey.
“Refocusing the whole system towards preventing ill-health from occurring or escalating can help us ensure the sustainability of our National Health Service. I am determined to ensure the measures outlined are delivered effectively and as quickly as possible as we work to transform the health of the nation.”
Cllr Kelly said: “Health is created in the communities in which we live, go to school or work, and access essential services. It is at the local level where we find the key levers to tackle the root causes of health problems and ensure people live long, healthy and fulfilling lives. Local Authorities, working with key partners, are uniquely placed to shape our communities.
“The Population Health Framework sets out action across every building block of health. Committing to this preventative approach requires whole system working in order to intervene as early as possible and provide support to people in all aspects of their lives.
“Currently, people from deprived communities have less access to affordable, nutritious food. The Population Health Framework sets out a priority to improve the food environment and ensure access to a healthy, balanced diet is accessible and affordable to all.
“Alongside this, Local Government is committed to improving public services across the whole system, and the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework sets out our high level ambition for improving the sustainability of the system and services people may need in order to help them live healthier, fulfilled lives.”
Obesity Action Scotland Chair Andrew Fraser said: “Obesity Action Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to taking progressive measures on retail food and drink promotions.
“They will improve the food environment and protect consumers from in-store choices that encourage people to purchase food that is high in fat, sugar and salt.
“Promotions result in over-consumption of calories, and make it easy to gain weight; measures that counter this pressure on consumers will contribute to the prevention of overweight and obesity that we want to see.”
Plans to transform social care across Scotland will be progressed after the Scottish Parliament approved the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill.
Thousands of people with experience of accessing, delivering and receiving social care, social work and community health services have helped co-design the legislation, putting people at the heart of reform.
The Bill will bring forward a number of enhancements to social care that include:
Alongside the Bill, an advisory board will be established to drive progress and scrutinise reform, replacing an interim board that met for the first time in May.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “More than 200,000 people across Scotland access care each year.
“Anyone may need care during their lives, and that care should be high quality and delivered consistently across Scotland.
“That is why we have been so determined to bring forward much-needed reform, alongside the work we are already doing through the near £2.2 billion total investment in social care and integration in 2025-26.
“Reform is not easy to deliver and it is being made more challenging by recent UK Government changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions and changes to migration. These will undoubtedly impact on care delivery.
“However, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to deliver the sustainable change to social care that people urgently need.
“This is a significant step that will strengthen the rights of people living in care homes, support unpaid carers and social workers and improve experiences for the many people who access social care across Scotland.”
A new Ministerial Accountability Board will be established ‘to drive reforms at pace’ to prevent avoidable deaths in custody.
Led by Justice Secretary Angela Constance, the Board will oversee the implementation of actions to address the 25 recommendations identified in Sheriff Collins’ Fatal Accident Inquiry (January 2025) concerning the tragic deaths of Katie Allan and William Lindsay (also known as William Brown).
The Board will track progress, while also identifying delivery risks, and providing support to mitigate challenges to ensure reform is delivered as quickly as possible. Additionally, the Board will hold justice partners to account and facilitate regular updates for stakeholders and families.
The Board is an interim measure until the National Oversight Mechanism, an independent national oversight body for all deaths in custody, separate from the Government, is established over the coming year. It will take on responsibility for overseeing implementation of the FAI actions along with its other responsibilities.
Ms Constance said: “We have accepted there needs to be change and action has already started to prevent avoidable deaths in custody. It is vitally important that this action is being driven to delivering lasting change and to ensure full accountability every step of the way.
“That is why I will lead a Ministerial Board to ensure that Sheriff Collins’ FAI determination recommendations regarding the tragic deaths of Katie Allan and William Lindsay are being delivered at pace.
“The Board will drive reform until the National Oversight Mechanism is established. It will provide accountability, transparency and drive systemic improvement, informed by evidence and analysis. Loss of liberty should not mean the loss of humanity, and every individual deprived of their liberty must be treated with dignity and respect.”
Membership of the Ministerial Accountability Board is currently being finalised, and it will include a direct and ongoing link to families through its representation.
Its inaugural meeting is expected next month.
