Local Democracy and Communities

A green recovery must invest in the building blocks of organised, inclusive, and capable communities. Our ambition is for a Scotland that has a decentralised, democratic system of local governance, that people trust and actively engage with. A network of municipalities based in people’s local villages, towns and cities.

Green Impact

Scottish Green achievements in the last 5 years include:

Won over £500 million additional investment in local services, from swimming pools to schools
Introduced new powers for councils to raise local levies on tourism and workplace car parking
Championed participatory democracy, including Scotland’s first citizens assemblies

A NEW ERA FOR SCOTTISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

We believe in Local Government. It plays a critical role in all of our lives, which is why we have focused on empowering and properly funding it over the last Parliament. We believe that rebuilding local democracy and empowering local government to meet the needs of the public should be at the heart of a green recovery.

The Scottish Greens will:

Deliver empowered, genuinely local councils. We will reverse the 50-year decline in the status of local government by backing widespread decentralisation of powers to local government and addressing the massive disparity between Scotland and other European countries, with Scottish councils ten times bigger than the European average.
Oppose Ministerial vetoes over local decisions. Local councils are best placed to determine what’s needed in their areas, but across a huge range of policies, the Scottish Government has legislated to give Ministers a veto. We will always presume that such provisions should be removed from laws unless it can be demonstrated they are absolutely necessary and proportionate.
Promote more diverse local representation. Women, people of colour, disabled people, trans people, and others with protected characteristics remain under-represented in local government. We will work to remove barriers to their full participation. We will increase the annual allowance for councillors, so it enables everyone to make it a full-time role. We will clarify ambiguity around maternity and parental leave, and extend access to public office funding across all protected characteristics.
Put local, democratic ownership at the heart of a Green Recovery. We will back Councils to be able to own vital green infrastructure including public transport and local energy companies.
Stimulate participatory democracy at local level. Greens pioneered participatory decision-making in Scotland, both locally and nationally. We will work to formalise citizens assemblies on an ongoing basis, locally and nationally, and introduce statutory duties on Councils and the wider public sector to support and enable new levels of local governance.

FAIR FUNDING FOR LOCAL SERVICES

The Scottish Greens will put Councils and the services they provide on a solid, long-term foundation so that they can be there for all of us.

The Scottish Greens will:

Commit to real terms increases in council funding. The Scottish Greens have reversed the trend in declining local government funding in recent years but more needs to be done. We commit to above-inflation increases in the share of the local government budget which is available to fund local priorities for the lifetime of the next Parliament.
Empower councils by reducing ringfencing and increasing funding certainty. We will ensure multi-year settlements for councils, introduce a fiscal framework between national and local government, reduce the share of council funding which is ring-fenced, and we will never dictate the levels at which councils can set local taxes from Holyrood. We will also ensure multi-year funding for third sector partners.
Devolve taxes. We are committed to radical reform of local taxation and will devolve powers to set, collect, and offer reliefs for non-domestic rates locally. We will ensure the implementation of tourism and workplace parking levies where appropriate and commit to a wider review of locally-determined environmental levies, including waste disposal taxes and carbon taxes.

GREAT PLACES, CONNECTED COMMUNITIES

The Scottish Greens are committed to investing in communities and building great places. We will work with communities and use the tools we have available, including the planning system, to deliver better, stronger communities for all.

The Scottish Greens will:

Fund communities to lead plans for their local areas. Local Place Plans are a new tier of community-led development planning that need actioned. We will equip communities and councils with the tools and power to investigate their own development needs and plan their futures.
Deliver 15-minute neighbourhoods. We will ensure that the new national planning framework and alignment of community, spatial and transport planning bring about vibrant 15 minute neighbourhoods.
Ensure meaningful public engagement in planning. We continue to support communities having appeal rights, but until that happens we will demand improvements to public engagement at every stage.

BUILDING AND HARNESSING COMMUNITY WEALTH

Over the last year the value of community organising and working together to look out for each other and improve our communities has never been so important. We will build on this and put community organising and wealth building at the heart of our plans for a green recovery.

The Scottish Greens will:

Increase community organising capacity, investing in dedicated community organisers across Scotland to assist citizens to come together to identify shared priorities, engage with democratic processes, develop skills and capacity, and work together to take collective action. We will in particular ensure this resource is available in communities with the greatest barriers to organising.
Increase support for community ownership. We will continue to support Community Land Scotland to scale-up support for communities looking to own or manage local assets.
Move away from competition for funding. We will ensure community sector funding encourages partnership and provides for longer term financial security and core funding for community anchor organisations.

People powered politics

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Local Democracy and Communities

Green Impact

A NEW ERA FOR SCOTTISH LOCAL GOVERNMENT

FAIR FUNDING FOR LOCAL SERVICES

GREAT PLACES, CONNECTED COMMUNITIES

BUILDING AND HARNESSING COMMUNITY WEALTH

People powered politics

Manifesto Chapters

Our Economy and Infrastructure

Our Land, Seas and Environment

Our Place in the World

Our Public Services

Our Society

People powered politics

Manifesto Chapters

Our Economy and Infrastructure

Our Land, Seas and Environment

Our Place in the World

Our Public Services

Our Society