Scottish Government plans to strip local councils of a wide range of powers have been met with a furious reaction from politicians in the north and north-east.
It emerged yesterday that SNP ministers at Holyrood are drawing up proposals which would result in neighbouring authorities sharing services, road maintenance being taken over by Transport Scotland and bin collections being handled by individual towns.
Last night, critics claimed the government was “waging war” on local councils as part of a “centralising agenda”.
But the SNP administration – which has not officially announced the plans – said they would “refresh local democracy”.
The Scottish Local Government Partnership (SLGP) group of Labour councils, including Aberdeen, branded the proposals “ludicrous”.
SLGP convener, and Aberdeen council leader, Jenny Laing said: “The SNP’s centralising agenda knows no bounds.
“Its own 2015 manifesto pledged to relinquish more powers so councils could drive growth and take charge of our own economies.
“We only have to look at the success of other global cities to see what happens when local authorities are empowered by central government.
North-east Conservative MSP Ross Thomson said: “South of the border, city regions are flourishing due to the devolution of powers and the introduction of elected mayors.
“Instead, we have an SNP government embarking on an all out attack on local councils, removing decision making, power and funds.”
Aberdeenshire Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Argyle urged the Scottish Government to “come clean” with the plans.
He said: “I find it very worrying that local government is being treated in this way.
“Having read the SNP manifesto it says nothing good about local government and I think that speaks volumes about their attitude to it.”
But David O’Neil, president of council umbrella body Cosla, said reform of local government was “vitally important”.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “In this parliament we will introduce a bill that will refresh local democracy by giving more power to local communities.
“We will review the roles and responsibilities of local authorities with an aim to transform our democratic landscape, protect and renew public services and refresh the relationship between citizens, communities and councils.”
