First Minister John Swinney’s announcement that 32 councils could be replaced by just six new regional authorities came on Monday night, just before a meeting of the full council in Livingston.
Opponents around the council chambers in Livingston, home to West Lothian Council since 2009 when it was opened by Alex Salmond, lined up to criticise the lack of detail.
They also slated the Scottish Government calls for a three-month opening consultation.
It was a tetchy debate, with Provost Cathy Muldoon calling for respect in the chambers and warning councillors several times about sniggering and comments while others were invited to speak.
Council leader Lawrence Fitzpatrick had already prepared a motion condemning plans for centralisation. He said the proposals “a power grab” by Holyrood, and banded the proposals “utter nonsense”, ripping democracy away from local communities.
The plan revealed by the First Minister on Monday night suggested six or eight regional authorities.
Between 120 and 160 community authorities would also be created. They would be expected to contribute to local issues such as licensing and town centre improvements.
The reforms have been shared with Holyrood’s committees and council umbrella body CoSLA ahead of a public consultation.
The proposals suggest that the regional bodies would be given powers over larger planning decisions, education and economic development.
They would also oversee the delivery of key services such as waste management, cleaning and early learning.
The smaller community authorities would contribute to areas including local planning decisions, town centre regeneration, licensing and the historic environment.
Councillors would be elected to the existing wards across Scotland and serve on both the local and regional authorities.
However, the document suggests the increased time commitment may require a boost in pay.
The proposals do not outline how the reforms would be financed.
The Scottish government argues that some of these councils are too large to be local but too small to be strategic.
For almost 20 years there has been talk of councils working together more closely to share overheads and cut duplication – for instance sharing responsibility for road maintenance or back-office functions.
SNP group leader Councillor Janet Campbell blamed the financial crisis facing local authorities as one of Westminster’s making, by both Conservative and Labour governments, and the reduction of the block grant.
Her amendment said: “In 2009, the Scottish block grant was £33.6B. This would be the equivalent of £52.5B. Last year, under a Labour Government, that block grant was slashed to just £42.6B. This is disastrous for public spending in Scotland and absolutely none of this caused by the Scottish Government.”
Councillor Fitzpatrick’s motion called on Holyrood government ministers: “to reflect on many poor revenue decisions since assuming power in 2007, to recognise that the population wish to see proper funding for essential local services which are locally controlled and not waste any further monies on devising a bill for an Independence Referendum.”
Councillor Campbell suggested the motion misunderstood or tried to mislead on the intention of the Scottish Government to consult with local authorities, and unions, as partners.
Conservative group leader Damian Doran-Timson pointed to earlier SNP proposals to reduce the number of health boards to two in Scotland. He said this would mean patients and visitors facing longer journeys.
He also laid into the SNP for” flip-flopping on North Sea Oil more often than Kerio Starmer”
Lib Dem Sally Pattle said the latest proposals followed others including the Bottle Return Scheme and the National Care Service as being light on detail and funding which the Holyrood government had” ploughed ahead with.”
She said such big projects “sucked the oxygen out of public debate” and took up time effort and resources in terms of staffing and and consultations, without going anywhere.
She said the new SNP Government should deliver on the promises that will have real impacts on the people of West Lothian: a new St Kentigern’s, and new Winchburgh Station.
“What we really need with public sector reform is more money in education, more money in front line health and care services and more money going into local government so that they can deliver the vital resilience that we are going to need in the future.”
Independent Andrew McGuire described the proposals as “jaw-dropping”. He added that they amounted to cuts to local government by a Holyrood administration which could not manage the budget given to it.
Councillor McGuire said: “Seven months before the local government election, who amongst us going to stand not knowing what that reorganisation is going to look like.
“The announcement last night was nothing short of power grab; taking everything back into central control, another way take back control and take all the decisions.”
SNP group depute leader Maria MacAulay said Scotland’s finances had been hit by 15 years of austerity. “The Scottish Government is working to make local government simpler and more effective. It is doing what it can to improve and protect public services. Let’s not criticise without discussion.”
The Labour motion was backed by 16 votes to 10. There was one abstention, from Reform councillor David McLennan.
At the launch of the plans Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth described the proposals as a “starting point” for reform.
She said: “We need to ensure investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to empower communities and deliver real improvements in public services.”
“Existing local government responsibilities could also be extended, including enhanced roles in economic development and business support so that individual areas can reflect local strengths and ambitions.”
