Local government in Scotland information

Local government in Scotland comprises thirty-two local authorities, commonly referred to as councils. Each council provides public services, including education, social care, waste management, libraries and planning.^[1] Councils receive the majority of their funding from the Scottish Government, but operate independently and are accountable to their local electorates.^[2] Councils raise additional income via the Council Tax, a locally variable domestic property tax, and Business rates, a non-domestic property tax.^[3]^[4]

Councils are made up of councillors who are directly elected by the residents of the area they represent. Each council area is divided into a number of wards, and three or four councillors are elected for each ward.^[1] There are currently 1,227 elected councillors in Scotland.^[5] Local elections are normally held every five years and use the single transferable vote electoral system.^[1] The most recent election was the 2022 Scottish local elections and the next election will be the 2027 Scottish local elections.

Council administrations typically comprise a group of councillors within the council who are able to command majority support.^[6] Minority administrations and majority administrations may be formed.^[7] Although coalition administrations are more typical, occasionally a majority administration is formed by a single political party, but this is uncommon due to the proportional voting system used in Scottish local elections.^[7] Despite being uncommon on the Scottish mainland, it is possible for independent politicians to form an administration.^[6]

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) is an umbrella organisation formed in 1975 to represent the views of Scotland's thirty-two councils to central government.^[8]

^ ^a ^b ^c "Scotland council elections 2022: A really simple guide". BBC News. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ "Local government revenue". Scottish Government. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ "Scottish budget: Councils given 'complete flexibility' to raise tax rates". BBC News. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ "Fact check: the final BBC Scottish leaders' debate". The Ferret. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ "Scottish council elections 2022: SNP finishes as biggest party". BBC News. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ ^a ^b Xander Richards (11 May 2022). "Who controls Scotland's councils? Which party will take power and where". The National. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ ^a ^b "Local government". Institute for Government. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
^ "About COSLA". COSLA. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[Guide-1] "Scotland council elections 2022: A really simple guide". BBC News. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[2] "Local government revenue". Scottish Government. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[3] "Scottish budget: Councils given 'complete flexibility' to raise tax rates". BBC News. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[4] "Fact check: the final BBC Scottish leaders' debate". The Ferret. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[5] "Scottish council elections 2022: SNP finishes as biggest party". BBC News. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[Control-6] Xander Richards (11 May 2022). "Who controls Scotland's councils? Which party will take power and where". The National. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[IFG-7] "Local government". Institute for Government. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

[8] "About COSLA". COSLA. Retrieved 12 May 2022.

Local government in Scotland information

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Local government in Scotland

Subdivisions of Scotland

History of local government in Scotland

Local government

Local government in the United Kingdom

Scottish Government

Local government areas of Scotland

Shires of Scotland

Local government in England

Scottish National Party

Grampian

Local Government Board for Scotland

Strathclyde

Politics of Scotland

Local government area

Scottish Greens

Caithness

Lothian

Tayside

List of towns and cities in Scotland by population

Scottish Borders

Local Government Act

Outline of Scotland

Royal Commission on Local Government in Scotland

Planning system in Scotland

Politics of Scotland
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