Another guest post today, and this one comes from Dean Mackinnon-Thomson, a Conservative-leaning honours student who studies politics. Â It considers the aftermath of May’s election with regards relations between Holyrood and local authorities.
It has become a central part of all four major (ED – sorry James) parties’ manifestoes. They are all united (some, admittedly belatedly) around the need to maintain a council tax freeze. Yet, given the real power surrounding the delivery of the council tax freeze rests not with Holyrood but local government; it has become a question of power.
The leaders of Scotland’s local authorities are to set themselves on a collision course with our Holyrood politicians; by pledging to defy the future council tax freeze. The Chief Executive of the Convention of Scottish Local Authority (COSLA) has singled out the council tax freeze as “unaffordableâ€. Rory Mair continued by adding “I don’t believe council leaders would sign up to another council tax freeze. They will defy it. A council tax freeze requires negotiation or legislation.â€
Hang on! Does this mean that we voters are going to have to endure the unedifying spectacle of one set of politicians battling for the powers which currently lies with another? The short answer would seem ‘yes’, no matter who wins in May 5th.
It is prudent to be cautious however. As it must in fairness be admitted that while Holyrood MSPs do not set the council tax rates, nor does COSLA. Indeed many SNP led councils have already begun writing into the newspapers like the Herald arguing that “COSLA does not speak for usâ€.
But it has been features nonetheless of this election campaign where major party manifesto pledges have clashed directly with the supposed division of powers between Holyrood and local government.
Whether it be election pledges to merge social care with the NHS, or give state schools independence from local authority control; this is all building up to be a dramatic clash of power, control and political interest between politicians and local and national levels. It even cuts across party divides. No matter who succeeds in Holyrood 2011, to carry forward many of the pledges made will demand that Scotland revisits this division of power between the national and local levels. Lest the political parties be forced to drop large swathes of their ‘election pledges’ (one wonders what damage that would inflict on voter turnout?).
Should MSPs, faced with recalcitrant councils, seek to pull more authority and power around themselves at the national level? Or should local government have the freedom of independent action; in line with the principles of localism? These are uncomfortable questions which will cut across established party lines and allegiances at Holyrood after May 5th. The battle for control and power across so many areas of policy delivery might indeed shake the kaleidoscope of Scottish politics dramatically and in unforeseeable ways.
Finally, it may be worth mentioning that many of the folk in the former ‘No to Devo’ camp back in 1997 cried that devolution might result in a Scottish equivalent of the London pull – around Edinburgh. A process where more and more local issues become decided at national levels, where funds and attention drift away from local and rural communities for the Scottish capitol. Some in my family who croft already think this has happened following crofting reforms (of which there have beencountless since devo); they say ‘here is the evidence’.
All I know is this: no matter whom wins on May 5th, this long running question of localism versus centralisation of powers, decision-making will come to the fore at last. And about time too.
#1 by Jason Lamb on April 22, 2011 - 5:09 pm
Personally I agree with Dean’s suggestion a the end about devo leading to less autonomy, as a highlander from Fort Augustus.
There hav been numerous crofting reforms since devo, all conducted by Edinburgh politicians with no awareness of rural life/communities.
I share the worry that no matteer who wins, it’ll lead to further centralisation.
That’s why I’m sticking with the LibDems, as they are localists (even if I do hate the coalition deal made). They oppose police centralisation. Unlike the Tories, so heres a question to Dean then: if your such a localist why are you voting Tory and not LibDem?
Jason
#2 by steve on April 22, 2011 - 6:53 pm
The council tax freeze wastes money, is expensive and is regressive. It’s a bad idea.
But that said, it is fairly easily achieved. The SNP managed it for the last four years and they can manage it again for as many years as they choose, so long as they can find the money.
It’s a simple matter of making the financial consequences of raising council tax sufficiently undesirable.
In my opinion the only way to counteract this power imbalance is to allow/require councils to meet more of their own budgets through local taxes. At the momemt most of their money comes from central government and that puts the SG firmly in control.
There are 3 ways to achieve this:
1. centralise some functions such as Education, meaning that councils have smaller budgets but are in control of proportionately more of their own spending.
2. Give them control over non domestic rates (or LVT as a replacement)
3. Replace council tax with a local income tax. Most countries where local government raises most or all of its own revenue have a local income tax, with a smaller level of centrally set income tax.
On the last point, when we get income tax powers devolved, instead of raising national income tax by 10p (as we’ll have to do to break even), we could raise a local income tax by 10p instead. The overall effect on taxpayers would be neutral, but councils would be in direct control of much more of their own budgets.
#3 by Dean MacKinnon-Thomson on April 22, 2011 - 8:21 pm
Steve,
I’d certainly agree that one option is to devolve more budgetary autonomy to local government. Personally I’d opt for a local sales tax, set independently by each local council area – that could not only provide fiscal freedom from central government but also bring tax competition and value for money.
I’d be opposed to centralising education on a personal note however, being a fan of localisation in education; I’d prefer to role out ‘free schools’. They represent to my mind a brilliant new labour legacy, and one worth furthering. They not only continue to devolve power closer to service users, but additionally they empower parental and community engagement with childhood education.
But on the wider lens, I do think that COSLA is more serious about resisting a continuation of the council tax freeze. I think Steve that you underestimate how hard it will be this time round. The reason it seems to me why the SNP executive managed to sustain the freeze last parliament was largely due to the fact that for 2 of the 4 years it was ostensibly a temporary measure; as they tried to role in LIT. This time it is clear that it isn’t temporary and there is no way COSLA will accept blithely another 4 years of budgetary freeze-up.
#4 by Dean MacKinnon-Thomson on April 22, 2011 - 8:24 pm
Jason,
I’m not sure the Liberal Democrats are all that much localists, after all I think (and I could be wrong) that they voted for the recent crofting reforms. The ones that you and me agree was a power-grab from central government.
#5 by Stuart on April 23, 2011 - 7:27 am
I couldn’t agree more with this piece. The Council Tax freeze has effectively ended any fiscal autonomy Council’s had.
I find 2 issues deeply worrying about this push for centralisation by Holyrood.
Firstly, accountability. I see this in Holyrood too, but when Council’s are given a fixed amount of money with no responsibility, they are able to push things through without any consequence- it can easily cut pensions, cut workers rights etc and ultimately lay the blame at Holyrood’s door. They have no responsibility.
It also means Council’s have virtually no option to accept cuts- and its amusing to see the finger being pointed at Council’s for closing schools, cutting jobs, cutting Social Work etc when Holyrood has decided it effectively controls Local Authorities’ budgets.
It would be refreshing if the SNP practiced what it preached. If Scotland should be given more autonomy with budgets, then so should Councils. After all, they are closer to the people. Local Authorities should be given more power to raise taxes how they see fit- whether that’s from the local population, tourists, sales etc…
A rebuke to giving more power to Local Authorities is that they can’t be trusted, and to some extent this may be true, but I think giving them more power would attract more responsible, higher calibre people to get involved in local politics.
My actual preference is a solidifying of the a clear hierachy of power, compared to the current centralisation, where Community Councils have no power apart from being consulted on planning applications, Local Authorities have no fiscal powers, and the Scottish Parliament only has a small number (but enough to fend off cuts) of fiscal leavers.
If local people knew their Community Council (or perhaps a slightly larger Area Committee) had responsibility for some issues, and I’m sure more people would be interested in being involved (especially if a small salary was paid).