Quote Originally Posted by squidge View Post
The Courier Article is reporting comments raised by Ruth Davidson. The manifesto of the SNP quite clearly refutes this suggestions of mega councils.

it commits to decentralising budgets, functions and democratic oversights to communities
it commits to better localisation for island communities
bigger role for community planning partnerships
more powerful role for community councils

Community involvement is at the heart of the manifesto promises. Tennant participation, community renewable projects. None of these can be delivered if we move to more centralisation. It's also perhaps worth mentioning that Richard Laird, an SNP councillor here in Inverness is actively pursuing a plan to reduce the size of Highland Council Area. There have been discussions around the Highland Council continuing to deliver centralised pan highland services like payroll, pensions and similar, I suppose corporate functions, whilst the policy decisions are devolved to local areas like Caithness. It's early days yet but all this sort of indicates a direction of travel which is the opposite to that suggested by Ruth Davidson in the article quoted.

The information is available on page 33 of the SNP Manifesto which you will find if you google it. It makes it crystal clear that in all their local government plans "the principle of local control not on behalf of a community but by a community is key."

Hope that clarifies things a bit more for you.
Many thanks for the clarity