This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Local Governance Bill
28/05/2003
THE LOCAL GOVERNANCE (SCOTLAND) BILL
The Bill will:
- Introduce the Single Transferable Vote (STV) for local authority elections
- bring the age for standing as a councillor (21) into line with the voting age (18)
- remove unnecessary political restrictions on standing for local authority elections
- establish an independent remuneration committee for councillors
- bring forward severance and pension arrangements for councillors
Background
Following consultation on the Local Government White Paper Renewing Local Democracy: The Next Steps the Executive confirmed on September 24, 2002, that it would publish a Local Governance Bill which would include the STV.
On November 19, 2002, the Executive announced that as well as providing for the introduction of the Single Transferable Vote, the Local Governance Bill would also introduce a number of other issues intended to improve local democracy.
The draft Local Governance (Scotland) Bill was published on February 4, 2003. It was made clear that the Bill would be available to the new Executive for decision following the elections in May.
Key proposals in the Bill include:
- Provisions for a new electoral system which will introduce the STV as the alternative choice to the First Past the Post system for local authority elections
- The abolition of the current system of allowances for councillors
- The introduction of a new system of remuneration for councillors based on the payment of a salary
- The introduction of a pension scheme for councillors to allow future service to count for pension purposes
- A proposed independent remuneration panel which would be tasked with making recommendations on the detailed arrangements for, and the level of, councillors remuneration to reflect more closely their current roles and responsibilities
- A number of changes to the existing restrictions on council employees wishing to stand for election to their employing authority
The Bill is scheduled for approval during the term of the current Parliament.