This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Local Government (Elections) Bill introduced
04/10/2001
Councils are to serve four-year terms with local government elections held on the same day as Scottish Parliament elections as a means of improving voter turnout, under measures introduced to the Scottish Parliament today.
The Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill proposes to extend local authority terms from three to four years and to combine local government and Scottish Parliamentary elections. It also allows local authorities to run innovative pilot schemes aimed at improving voter turnout at local government elections and making the administration of these elections more efficient.
Minister for Finance and Local Government, Angus MacKay said:
"The Scottish Executive has today introduced the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill in the Scottish Parliament.
"The Executive issued a draft of the Bill on March 30 and received over 80 responses to that consultation. I have today placed a copy of responses to the consultation, except those given in confidence, in the Resource Centre of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive's library.
"Of the 31 councils that responded, 22 were in favour of both a move to four-year terms for councils and, from 2003, of combined local government and Scottish Parliament elections. In addition to allowing councils to plan and deliver more effectively, the extension of council terms also complements other initiatives, such as the new finance settlement, and will assist councils in taking a longer-term strategic view.
"The combined local government and Parliament elections in 1999 resulted in a marked increase in voter turnout: 59% against a backdrop of between 41% and 48% from 1976 to 1995. Such high turnout reinforces the democratic mandate of local government
"A number of councils asked whether it would be possible to trial new electoral procedures similar to those run in England and Wales for the May 2000 local government elections. Accordingly, we have amended the Bill to provide for similar pilots to be run at local government elections in Scotland."
BACKGROUND
1. Mr MacKay made the announcement in response to a Parliamentary Question:
Janis Hughes MSP (LABOUR) (GLASGOW RUTHERGLEN)
Q To ask the Minister for Finance and Local Government when the Local Government (Elections) (Scotland) Bill will be introduced.
A Angus MacKay:
The Scottish Executive has today introduced the Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill in the Scottish Parliament.
The Executive issued a draft of the Bill on 30 March and received over 80 responses to that consultation. I have today placed a copy of responses to the consultation, except those given in confidence, in the Resource Centre of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive's library.
Of the 31 councils that responded, 22 were in favour of both a move to four-year terms for councils and coincident local government and Scottish Parliament elections.
Many responses to the consultation commented adversely on the draft provisions to combine local government elections with an extraordinary Parliamentary election held for the Scottish Parliament. Although it was expected that this power would only be used exceptionally - one possible example might be where an extraordinary election fell only a few weeks before the due date - the Executive recognises the objection of councils that, as originally drafted, the power could be used more widely. We have therefore decided to drop the general power from the Bill but retain an option where an extraordinary election runs close to a local government election. The council tax setting date of 11 th March has been raised as a suitable date and seems a sensible break point.
A number of councils asked whether it would be possible to trial new electoral procedures similar to those run in England and Wales for the May 2000 local government elections. Accordingly, we have amended the Bill to provide for similar pilots to be run at local government elections in Scotland.
2. The pilot schemes to be run by local authorities can include changes to
- when, where and how voting at the elections is to take place (including voting to take place on more than one day and at places other than polling stations);
- how the votes cast at the elections are to be counted.