Cross-party group to consider Fife Council position on Scottish Government's Programme for Change plans

First Minister John Swinney announced plans to undertake “radical and widespread public service reform” earlier this month.

Changes could see Scotland’s 14 health boards reduced to just two, a possible shake up of councils and moving social care into the NHS structure.

Ahead of Thursday’s Fife Council meeting, its leader David Ross had warned that the programme announced by the First Minister went “significantly beyond” principles that have been discussed through COSLA.

Following his comments, SNP Fife group leader, Councillor Craig Walker, raised an urgent motion asking for a cross-party, short-term working group to be established.

He told councillors: “Let me make this clear, this is not about the substance of these discussions or about asking council to prejudge the outcome.

“It is asking for something much more fundamental – what is the position of Fife Council?

“The council has not adopted an agreed position on public sector reform. It is not a process that groups have been asked to contribute to.

“The council leader has described this issue as most likely to have significant impact on the council. But if it is most important issue, surely elected members should have the opportunity to discuss it and establish the position and that is what this motion seeks to do.”

With a minority-run administration, Cllr Walker said it was important to get views from all parties.

“The administration represents just over 25 per cent of the council,” he said.

“The leader can speak for the administration, the chief executive represents the council as appropriate but where there is no agreed position, the minority position should not become the position of the council as a whole.

“That is why we need a process at which groups can consider every identified common ground and debate any differences.

“I accept we won’t reach consensus on every issue but it is about having a process. It is about having a mechanism for everyone to have a say.”

Cllr Walker said the group would be the creation of a “proper, inclusive, member led” process.

He added: “This is about whether elected members have a meaningful role in determining a position of the organisation we were elected to represent.

“Let us ultimately establish a definitive position on behalf of this member-led council because when representations go in to discussions with the Scottish Government and COSLA, they can do so with something more powerful.”

Cllr Ross had warned that the reform programme could have “far reaching implications” for local government and Fife.

“We need to look at this in depth and fairly urgently as well,” he said. “There are still mixed messaged and a lack of clarity on a whole lot of things.

“My view is that I think Fife works very well as a local authority in that we are large enough to be strategic but through area committee structure particularly, we have got local links and I would not like to see any changes that altered that, particularly Fife’s historic boundaries.

“It is a moving feast. There are meetings going on and discussions. Trade unions are involved in this and it is something that will dominate our agenda at least until Christmas and probably up to the next elections.”

Liberal Democrat councillor James Calder said it was important to consider the programme on a cross-party basis.

“While we might not necessarily agree with everything on the programme for government, it is helpful if we can all agree on a process going forward.

“I have some serious concerns about some of the aspects of the programme for government so I would welcome that we can have discussions on these issues and come to some kind of conclusion in the coming weeks.”