Scottish Devolution: Cities Demand Even More Power for Local Authorities

Cosla, the Scottish local government body, and its counterparts across Britain have written to Cabinet Committee Chairman William Hague and others in charge of devolution talks in a bid to grasp even more power for local authorities.

Even though the Smith Commission is currently working through plans to grant Scotland greater power over taxation and spending, Cosla wants politicians to go one step further and give local authorities the same type of control over the same issues.

In a letter sent by Cosla and its partners to Hague and the Smith Commission, "the Scottish referendum has shown that public trust in the old ways of central control has been shattered beyond repair."

The letter added that "too many decisions that affect local communities are centralised in Westminster, Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and Stormont.

"This expensive, centralised approach leads to governments trying to second guess what is best for localities.

"[The talks over enhancing Scottish devolution] is a unique opportunity to refresh local democracy and empower local communities right across our nation".

All the main political parties - Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour - pledged to grant Scotland greater power to decide on taxation and spending, if Scots voted against independence in the referendum.

Scotland's independence referendum was held on 18 September and over 80% of the country's population turned out to vote. In the end 55% decided the country should stay part of the UK.

Subsequently, Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Alex Salmond tendered his resignation and claimed voters were "tricked" into voting no.

Talks have already started to grant Scotland more powers but politicians have said the devolution implementation timeframes promised were "mission impossible".

A total of 120,000 people have since signed a petition urging Westminster to keep its promises on devolution.

Cosla and the other local governing bodies said in their letter that talks between national governments over Scottish devolution "skews the discussion" and misses the main point that "national parties and local communities in every part of our nation have signalled a desire for a revival of our local democratic systems".

Meanwhile, a number of MPs have raised the concerns that greater devolution should lead to Scottish MPs being barred from making decisions in Westminster, therefore "English votes for English laws" - dubbed the West Lothian Question.