Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 21 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions local authorities have made an additional powers request to the Scottish Ministers in each year since 1999.
Relevant Scottish local authorities have been able to request additional powers since the introduction of The Additional Powers Request (Scotland) Regulations 2019. Whilst no requests for additional powers have been submitted under the 2019 Regulations to date, Orkney Islands and Western Isles Councils submitted separate proposals for Single Island Authority models through the joint Local Governance Review process with COSLA.
Ministers look forward to working closely with all relevant local partners to develop models for alternative governance arrangements which can strengthen local decision-making and improve outcomes for local people.
Argyll and Bute Council has also expressed an interest in joining these discussions and willprovide the Scottish Government with further information on their aspirations and the local discussions which have taken place so far.