Breakaway councils ditch Cosla to join rival group
SCOTLAND’S largest council has confirmed it is leaving an umbrella body and joining a new rival group.
Glasgow City Council has joined Aberdeen in committing its future to the Scottish Local Government Partnership.
They will be joined by Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire, which have both indicated they will leave the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla).
Although only four councils make up the breakaway group, they contain a large share of the country’s population.
Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: ‘Cosla hasn’t delivered for Glasgow, so we’re leaving.
‘We’ve joined the Scottish Local Government Partnership, which represents a quarter of the population and will be responsible for almost half the country’s economic output.
‘It will enhance the role of local government and help to grow Scotland’s economy and the communities we all serve.’
He added: ‘In future it will simply not be possible to speak to local government without including us as an equal partner and
‘It hasn’t delivered, so we’re leaving’
we have already started meeting with Scotland’s trade unions as we prepare for our role in national collective bargaining.’
However, Cosla has insisted it has been successful in negotiating deals for councils and hopes the four local authorities may return in time.
David O’Neill, president of Cosla, said: ‘Cosla is and has been the collective voice for Scottish local government since 1975 and had done a very good job in representing its membership through some very challenging times.
‘We have an excellent track record, a great deal of experience and the support of our member councils.
‘Last year, eight member councils served notice to quit the organisation citing their reasons for doing so. Through meetings and constructive dialogue, four of those eight councils have decided to withdraw their notices to quit and we will continue to work as hard as ever to meet the needs of our member councils.
‘The door always remains open for the other four.’