Due to changes made to the official Scottish Parliament website at the start of 2011, our parser that used to fetch their web pages and convert them into more structured information has stopped working. We’re afraid we cannot give a timescale as to when we will be able to cover the Scottish Parliament again. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Meetings)
Question Time — Scottish Executive
2:30 pm
Keith Harding (Conservative)
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will next meet the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and what issues will be discussed. (S1O-4735)
Peter Peacock (Labour)
Scottish Executive representatives meet COSLA on a regular basis to discuss matters of mutual interest.
Keith Harding (Conservative)
At his next meeting, will the minister take the opportunity to question why, in view of the "substantial increase"—in the minister's own words—in funding to local government, most councils have increased council tax well above the rate of inflation while cutting services? Is this the Executive's new stealth tax?
Peter Peacock (Labour)
As Mr Harding rightly pointed out, the Executive has been extremely generous in its grant settlement this year, as it has in the past two years, giving more than 10 per cent more additional resources. Most councils have brought in council taxes exactly on the targets that they predicted last year. In many cases, councils have brought in council taxes below that target. That is because of the generous grant that the Scottish Executive gives.
Dennis Canavan (Independent)
Instead of listening to the prophets of doom and gloom, will the Executive ask COSLA to encourage all Scottish local authorities to support the joint bid for Euro 2008, which would be of immense benefit to the whole of Scotland and to Scottish sport, tourism and the economy?
Peter Peacock (Labour)
That matter would not normally be on the agenda for meetings with COSLA, but I am more than happy to raise it at my next meeting. I am sure that, as always, COSLA will act in the interests of Scotland.