The last week has seen the most significant change in policy from a UK party with respect to climate change and energy. Depending on your point of view this is either cataclysmic or sensible and pragmatic. The new position does however align with the Conservative’s position on oil and gas licensing. This subject has had … License to drill – Stuart Paton Read More »

This article first appeared on LocalGov on 22 September 2023 Devolution was never supposed to stop at Holyrood, but while there have been continued calls, both from within and from without parliament, for greater decentralisation of fiscal powers and reform of council tax in Scotland, nothing has changed. Indeed, arguably more powers have been centralised … Rethinking council tax in...

Reform Scotland invites you to join a discussion about some of the most inspiring innovations currently taking place in the nation’s schools. Many of the most interesting reforms happening in state schools are being driven from outside the system by education entrepreneurs. Reform Scotland is bringing together the leaders of three impressive projects to discuss their … INSPIRING...

In Scotland, the most local level of democracy is the Community Council. Community Councils are supposed to be elected every 3 years. However, in many cases no election takes place as there are fewer nominations than places. The statutory powers of the Community Councils are very limited, solely in relation to planning matters where their … Most Local Democracy – Stuart Paton Read...

Reform Scotland has been campaigning for radical reform of local taxation Research Director says consultation represents “no more than a tinker” Consultation closes on Wednesday Reform Scotland, a public policy institute which works to promote increased economic prosperity, opportunity for all, and more effective public services, has today submitted its response to the Scottish Government’s...

I am writing this while in Budapest, during the World Athletics Championships, where the greatest athletes in the world compete across the many disciplines of track and field.  While it is wonderful to see the pinnacle of athletics in action, the benefits of sport are far wider than the pride of winning medals at the … A sporting chance – Ian Beattie Read More »

Online event: 1pm, Thursday 14 September Reform Scotland is delighted to invite you to join a conversation with Ed Conway, Economics Editor of Sky News. We will be discussing Ed’s brilliant new book “Material World”, which was a Financial Times and New Statesman Best Summer Book of 2023. It tells the story of the substances that … A CONVERSATION WITH ED CONWAY – 14 Sept 2023...

Reform Scotland, a public policy institute which works to promote increased economic prosperity, opportunity for all, and more effective public services, has today released a detailed paper – The Scottish Childcare Payment  – written by Gordon Hector. The paper welcomes the gradual expansion in state funding for childcare, but says the payment mechanism has created … The...

In 2015, shortly after becoming First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon described education as her ‘defining mission’ and shortly afterwards launched the Scottish Attainment Challenge, designed to eliminate the gap in attainment between disadvantaged and other pupils.  Although progress has been slow and very limited, the aim was a worthy one and there is no reason to … Where is energy in the...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for a while, but one thing is for sure, it is here to stay. Advancements in awareness and uptake of AI has grown significantly, especially since November last year when the generative AI tool ChatGPT came into the mainstream. Naturally, something of this scale and potential gave rise to … Education & the Programme for Government – Keir...

Reform Scotland has been campaigning for landlines in prison cells for six years Research Director says plan will help hold support networks together  Reform Scotland, a public policy institute which works to promote increased economic prosperity, opportunity for all, and more effective public services, has today welcomed the Scottish Prison Service (SPS)’s announcement that it … Some...

Lord McConnell asks some interesting and important questions in his May 2023 article on decentralisation and devolution. We take a slightly different view.  Too often in debates like these we get hamstrung by words which can create false dichotomies. Is centralisation ‘bad’ by definition, and decentralisation and devolution ‘good’? It depends, of course, on what … Distributed data...

The New Deal for Local Government, also known as the ‘Verity House Agreement’, between the Scottish Government and COSLA signed in June this year returned to themes of: ‘local-by-default, national-by-agreement’ (European Charter of Local Self-Government); emphasis on Community Planning Partnerships; completing the Local Governance Review (LGR) initiated in 2018. The LGR could provide a...

This article by Alison Payne first appeared in The Times on 18 August 2023 The publication of the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) report has been greeted by the now familiar annual argument about what the data means for the constitutional debate. But, important as the headline figures are, there are many other … Scottish economy shouldn’t be measured by case for...

I firmly believe from solid experience as a Community Councillor that residents and community bodies can ‘take back control’ even within the current heavily centralised democratic system.  Such activity would be entirely complementary to many of the constructive, longer term, suggestions already made in this debate. Taking back control would not require funding and structure … ...

Let us be clear from the start. When we discuss ‘sport’, we are talking about life far beyond a pitch, field, court or pool. We are talking about the potential fun of games and activities and their contribution to the overall quality of life for every person, young and old, across every part of Scotland. … Community Sport and Civic Society – Charlie Raeburn Read More »

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for a while, but one thing is for sure, it is here to stay. Advancements in awareness and uptake of AI has grown significantly, especially since November last year when the generative AI tool ChatGPT came into the mainstream. Naturally, something of this scale and potential gave rise to … AI in UK education can be transformative – Jonathan...

In the context of the proposed New Deal for local government and in the context of its responsibilities in relation to the provision of school education, what needs to be done to improve the relationship between local authorities and the Scottish Government and its agencies, agencies such as Education Scotland and the SQA? When one … Local Government & education reform – Jim...

This Reform Scotland series is an opportunity to reflect upon the 30 years since ‘Shaping the Future: The New Councils’ was published.  From a two-tier local authority system, Scotland ended up with 32 unitary local authorities.  As a sitting Highland Councillor, elected for the first time in 2022, I am delighted to have been asked … The Class of 2022 – a perspective from an...

The principle of subsidiary is a political term much promoted on both the left and right of the political spectrum, enshrined in many documents from the Maastricht Treaty to the Scottish Governments policy on public services but sadly rarely fully delivered by central governments and certainly not in Scotland.    Subsidiarity should be the guiding principle … The Principle of...