Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Future work

At its meetings on 7 October and 11 November 2025, the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee agreed a programme of future work for the remainder of the current Parliamentary session.

Ahead of dissolution in March 2026, the Committee will focus on the following areas of work:

Scrutiny of the Draft Climate Change Plan

On Thursday 6 November, the Scottish Government laid a draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) before Parliament.

The draft CCP outlines how the Scottish Government intends to meet emissions reduction targets across all portfolio areas and sectors of the economy.  

The Committee has agreed to participate in collaborative scrutiny of the draft Plan, coordinated by the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.

In its scrutiny, the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will focus on the contribution that residential and public buildings can make to achieving emission targets, and the wider implications of the plan for local authorities in Scotland. 

The Scottish Budget 2026-27

On 14 November 2025, the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government setting out its views ahead of publication of the Scottish Government’s budget for 2026-27.

To inform its pre-budget scrutiny, the Committee took evidence from local authorities, COSLA, the Accounts Commission, Unison and the Scottish Government.

The Committee has agreed to take evidence from the Scottish Government on the budget in early 2026.

Alongside its budget scrutiny, the Committee will also consider evidence on the Fiscal Framework between Scottish Government and Local Government in Scotland.

Scrutiny of Ombudsman, Regulators, Commissions and Commissioners accountable to the Committee

As part of its remit in Session 6, the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee agreed to conduct annual scrutiny of the following bodies:

• The Scottish Housing Regulator
• The Scottish Public Service Ombudsman
• The Ethical Standards Commissioner
• The Standards Commission for Scotland

Before the end of the current Parliamentary session, the Committee will take evidence from all four bodies.

Correspondence

See all of this committee's correspondence

Official Reports of meetings

See all of this committee's Official Reports

Committee reports

See all of this committee's reports

To consider and report on matters relating to local government and planning falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, matters within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, with the exception of matters related to homelessness and rough sleeping, fuel poverty, and welfare and debt advice services; and matters relating to local government boundaries, local governance review and democratic renewal.