Councillors agree to pilot Kinross-shire devolution scheme

Councillors have agreed to pilot a new scheme that will devolve some decision-making powers to Kinross-shire.

As part of the budget passed yesterday, £40,000 has been secured for a 12-month trial to explore the possibilities for a local-decision making committee in the Kinross-shire ward.

While Perth and Kinross council leader Murray Lyle stressed it was not independence for Kinross-shire, he said the scheme would allow the region’s elected members to have more control over decision-making and budgets.

The pilot will enlist the help of community councils and local groups.

Devolved powers could include local economic development, tourism, community transport, road safety, footpaths and local infrastructure projects.

The initial pilot will not cover quasi-judicial matters such as the determination of planning and licensing applications.

Kinross-shire Conservative councillor Callum Purves said: “Despite becoming subsumed into Perth and Kinross Council a number of decades ago, Kinrossshire has retained its local identity. Often the priorities of local residents differ from those across Perth and Kinross and the decisions made in Perth.

“I am delighted to have been able to secure funding for this scheme, which is a first step towards restoring some of the powers that were lost when Kinross-shire ceased to be a county in its own right. It will put Kinross-shire residents back at the heart of local decisions.”

Plans to introduce a devolved decisionmaking committee have previously been backed by all six community councils that cover Kinross-shire.

Local independent councillor, Michael Barnacle, said: “I was glad to see that the Conservative budget motion included funding to support a pilot devolved committee for Kinross-shire.

“This is something that I have campaigned for since 1999.

“Councillor Purves and I had more recently been working on proposals for the scheme and this budget commitment will deliver on them.

“I think this proposal will be warmly welcomed across the Kinross-shire community.”

The county of Kinross was established in the 13th Century with the parishes of Kinross and Orwell (Milnathort).

An Act of Parliament in 1685 expanded it to include the parishes of Cleish, Portmoak and Tullibole (Fossoway).

Kinross-shire formed a joint county council with Perthshire in 1929 before being amalgamated into the new Perth and Kinross District Council in 1975 and its modernday successor from 1996.

Councillor Callum Purves in Kinross.