Proposal for single council

ANGUS AND Dundee councils should merge to form a new, single body and given responsibility for health spending, a major new report claims.

Independent think tank Reform Scotland has said drastic action must be taken to revitalise local democracy following the dismal turnout — estimated to be just 38% — in this month’s local government elections.

They are proposing reducing the total number of Scottish councils from 32 to 19 and amalgamating these with health and police boards to create a single-tier approach to government.

The Renewing Local Government report also proposes the election of mayors and the devolution of local taxes, which would give local authorities the power to set their own council tax levels or even introduce a new system of taxation entirely.

As part of their proposals, Angus and Dundee city councils would merge to form a new Tayside Council.

Tayside Regional Council, which included Dundee, Angus and Perth, was scrapped in 1996 to make way for the current local government structure.

Reform Scotland’s Chairman Ben Thomson said the proposals should be seen as a starting point for debate and that the Scottish Parliament had “reversed devolution by sucking up council powers”.

He said: “It is clear from the recent disappointing local election turnout that we have to take action against the erosion of local democracy in Scotland.

“This is not a party-political issue, and we hope to start a vital debate in this country which will result in a solution being found which empowers our councils, and which engages people at election-time.”

The report also claims that when the single Scottish police force is introduced there will be no local accountability because of the current local authority structure.

Angus City Council leader Iain Gaul was unimpressed with the report.

He said: “There is nothing to back up their claim that reducing the number of councils from 32 to 19 will make people less apathetic. If they merged Angus and Dundee together if anything it would further disenfranchise those in rural Angus.”

Dundee City Council leader Ken Guild said: “In Dundee, people have seen considerable investment in schools, roads and public buildings while the council tax has been frozen for six years in a row,” he said.

“Joint working with neighbouring councils has been a feature of local government for many years and it delivers quality services in a more cost effective way.”