Scotland's 32 councils could be cut to six under government plan
The Scottish government has proposed reducing the number of local councils from 32 to as few as six regional authorities to streamline public services. These new regional bodies would manage major issues like education and economic growth while overseeing smaller community authorities responsible for local matters. The plan, which includes separate provisions for island areas, is currently being shared with committees and the council umbrella body ahead of a public consultation.
- ▪Proposals suggest replacing Scotland's 32 councils with six regional authorities that focus on education, economic growth, and waste management.
- ▪Regional bodies would oversee 120 to 160 community authorities that handle local planning, licensing, and town center regeneration.
- ▪Councillors would be elected to existing wards and serve on both local and regional authorities, potentially requiring a pay increase due to higher time commitments.
- ▪Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth stated the proposals are a starting point for debate aimed at strengthening public services and focusing investment on frontline delivery.
- ▪The document does not currently outline how the proposed structural reforms would be financed.
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| Original publisher | BBC News — UK |
| Canonical URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ck3wj23ze7n0o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss |
| Publication time | Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:34:46 GMT |
| Retrieval time | 2026-09-21T15:58:49.024Z |
| Last seen | 2026-09-21T15:58:49.024Z |
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Scotland's 32 councils could be cut to six under government planImage source, Getty ImagesPublished17 minutes agoScotland's 32 councils could be replaced by as few as six regional authorities under proposals published by the government. Under the reforms, external, the regional bodies would focus on major issues such as education and economic growth. They would also be responsible for supporting between 120 and 160 community authorities, which would oversee some local issues. The proposals have been shared with Holyrood's committees and council umbrella body Cosla ahead of a public consultation. Scotland's councils face budget shortfalls.
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