Burnham to offer to work with Swinney on shifting power to councils during Scotland visit

Andy Burnham will use a visit to Scotland on Friday to offer to work with John Swinney on devolving more power to local communities, as the SNP gathers for its national conference.

Speaking in Lanarkshire, the Prime Minister will set out proposals for Downing Street and the Scottish Government to work together on decentralising decision-making to Scotland’s regions, promising to “rewire” governance through the No10 North initiative and the Scotland Office.

Devolution has been a centrepoint of the leader’s agenda since he came to power in the summer, and he has insisted giving more control to regional mayors and authorities across England will help to boost economic growth.

His vision for further devolution in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland has been less clear, but the PM has said he will listen to the nations’ calls for further powers while advocating that they share more responsibilities with local authorities.

The visit coincides with the SNP’s gathering at the P&J Live in Aberdeen, the first since Swinney’s party won the most seats at the Holyrood election in May.

Addressing his proposals ahead of the visit, Burnham said: “During my first week in office, I told the First Minister that I wanted to work with him to spread opportunities to communities across Scotland’s regions and cities.

“Through No10 North, we are rewiring the state and I want to make sure regions in Scotland are fully part of this.

“This is me making an offer to the Scottish Government. With us working together, there is no limit to what we can achieve for the Scottish people.”

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “Devolution has done a great deal, but power was never supposed to stop at the doors of the Scottish Parliament. People in North Lanarkshire, in Fife or in the Highlands know what their communities need better than any minister, whether they sit in London or Edinburgh.

“The Prime Minister’s offer to the Scottish Government is a genuine one, and the Scotland Office is ready to roll up its sleeves alongside them to make it happen. Two governments, one goal – good jobs and real opportunity in every corner of Scotland.”

The intervention comes weeks after the Scottish Government set out its own proposals to reform local government, which could see Scotland’s existing 32 councils replaced with a two-tier system of regional and community authorities.

Under the proposals, between six and ten regional authorities could take responsibility for areas including education, economic development and larger planning decisions, alongside between 120 and 160 community authorities with more local powers.

Deputy First Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “It is very welcome that the Prime Minister is coming to Scotland to participate in the Scottish Government’s consultation on the opportunities posed by public service reform.

“The First Minister has been on record for many months saying that he wishes to work with Mr Burnham on this issue, and the further devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament, and told him that personally when they met the last time he visited Scotland in July.

“Our focus is on delivering stronger and efficient citizen-centred public services that are sustainable for generations to come, and our work on delivering the changes necessary to support the needs of diverse communities across Scotland has been taking place for over a month.”