Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its funding formula for local authorities in light of reported regional development disparities.
The local government finance funding formula provides a complex but objective assessment of need and uses the most up to date information for the full range of indicators, including factors such as population, rurality, road data and deprivation.
The needs-based formula used to distribute the quantum of funding available for local government is kept under constant review and is agreed each year with COSLA on behalf of all 32 local authorities.
While the Scottish Government is always open to suggestions to improve the funding formula, any proposals for change must properly come through COSLA in the first instance.