Give more powers to councils, says Mcaveety

A former leader of Glasgow City Council has called for local authorities to be given the ability to raise up to a third of their own revenue.

Glasgow Labour group leader Frank Mcaveety urged his party to back a “new devolution settlement” for councils, including powers to allow them to design and implement their own taxes.

In a speech to the Scottish Labour Party conference, Mr Mcaveety advocated handing local government the ability to introduce measures such as tourist taxes or compulsory sale orders for emp- ty properties. He said this would allow councils –which currently have four-fifths of their budgets set by the Scottish Government – to raise up to £1.6 billion in revenue when combined with Labour plans to scrap council tax.

Mr Mcaveety called on the party “to demonstrate its belief in the power of local government”.

He said: “Now it is time for a new devolution settlement that empowers local government. Not a proscribed list of new powers, but a new ability to innovate and create where local communities need it most … real change, real trust and real respect for local democracy.