Structure of local government and health boards 'neither sustainable nor desirable', claims senior SNP MSP

The current structure of local government and health boards in Scotland is “neither sustainable nor desirable”, a leading SNP MSP has said.

Kenneth Gibson, who serves as convener of the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee, has called for health to fall under “reinvigorated local authority control” and local authorities to be merged “where appropriate”.

The Cunninghame North MSP put forward a resolution at SNP conference urging consideration to be given to merging health boards and local authorities to “create more strategic bodies”.

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However, delegates failed to discuss the resolution - which also mooted further devolution from local councils down to town and community level - with party bosses putting it down to time constraints.

Gibson, whose full speech has now been published by Holyrood, was set to warn that “silo mentalities are still prevalent in too many areas” with “budget design in isolation”.

He said: “In 1995 the Tories reduced nine regional, three island and 53 district councils to 32 single tier authorities. The Tories were keen not to set up councils to deliver the most effective services. Their goal was to establish what they hoped would be Tory enclaves, for example in East Renfrewshire and South Ayrshire.

“Whether one considers the delivery of services, economic development or improved health, the current model of 14 health boards and 32 local authorities is neither sustainable nor desirable. 

“Curiously, the current structure has many local authorities that are not quite big enough to drive optimal economic development, whilst at the same time being seemingly remote from the citizen.”

The resolution, which was due to be backed by Finance Committee deputy convener, John Mason, called on a re-elected SNP government to “examine and consult” widely on a shake-up.

“As a suggestion, in Fife, the council and health board would merge on their existing co-terminus boundaries, bringing health under democratic local control,” added Gibson. 

“In Ayrshire, the three councils could merge, bringing co-terminus NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s £669 million budget under the control - not of three existing councils, and NHS board with their chief executives and teams of directors - but one authority, streamlining management and releasing resources to deliver enhanced front-line services, with clearer objectives and greater efficiently, delivering - I believe – better outcomes for the people we represent.

“These larger local authorities could focus on economic development, connectivity, social work and, working closely with the colleges, education.”

The likes of local planning, libraries and potholes could be dealt with at council ward level while arguments could be made for housing to be “run more locally too”, he added.

Asked by Holyrood, SNP business convener Derek Mackay said “lack of time” was behind the resolution - which was the final one of 19 on the conference agenda - not being taken.

Speaking to Holyrood magazine ahead of conference, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon refused to rule out “having a look” at whether the current framework is “the right one”.

“But it’s not starting from a question of should there be 32 local authorities,” she said. “It’s saying that we’ve got health boards and councils working together around social care, we’ve got a number of councils co-operating around city deals and in other arrangements and we’ve obviously had police reform, so all of these different things are happening and you do get to a point where you have to question whether the framework around that is any longer appropriate.”