Councils demand immediate £750m for social care from next Scottish government

A manifesto from Scotland’s 32 local authorities has called for an immediate cash injection of £750m into social care from the next Scottish government.

In a call to every political party in Scotland running at the Holyrood election in May, Cosla warned that councils are facing a “defining moment” amid strain on resources and rising demand.

In its manifesto, backed by all councils, the local authority umbrella group urged political leaders to “embrace a bold new settlement” for local government with “realistic, long-term funding”.

It said a £647m national funding gap and a workforce that has shrunk by 11% since 2013 has come at the same time as demand continues to rise for education, housing, social care and other essential services.

A central ask in the manifesto is a £750m immediate boost to social care funding, “alongside fair, flexible and multi-year funding settlements to stop the decline of vital services”.

It urges an end to the Government’s “top-down” to local authorities, warning it is “eroding public trust and weakening services”.

It calls on political parties to back council tax reform within the next parliamentary term, as well as the devolution of new revenue-raising powers to councils.

The manifesto also calls for a full commitment to the principles of the Verity House Agreement, the cross-government pledge to treat councils as equal partners in decision-making, adding that the “principle must move from rhetoric to reality”.

Cosla president and SNP councillor Shona Morrison warned: “We cannot continue to ignore the vital role of local democracy in delivering better outcomes for the communities we are elected to represent.

“For many years, local decision-making has increasingly shifted away from these communities, limiting their ability to shape local priorities. This at a time when local government has been left to do more with less.

“This manifesto is a turning point. It sets out the clear case for a new relationship with national government – one built on parity of esteem, trust and shared ambition.

“We cannot deliver for the people of Scotland if we do not allow for local flexibility and place trust in councils and their partners to work with local people, families and communities.

“Our councils must have the tools to make real decisions, the powers to raise income locally, and the respect to shape services without interference.”

The manifesto challenges what it calls “restrictive, centralised targets”, such as teacher numbers and delayed discharge statistics, which Cosla said “undermine local flexibility and hinder real improvement”.

The council umbrella group called for a national recruitment campaign to tackle the “workforce crisis” in areas such as children’s services and social care, with “proper recognition of its predominantly female workforce through fair, multi-year pay deals”.

Other demands include nationalising the currently precarious secure care system for vulnerable children, urgent measures to tackle the housing crisis, including writing off historic housing revenue account debt, and faster delivery of keeping The Promise reforms for children in care.

Cosla is also urging the development of a national strategy for community cohesion – a move it says is “critical” amid increasing social tensions.

Morrison said: “This is not just about councils, it’s about the kind of country we want to be.

“Local government is the backbone of Scotland’s communities. If we want to tackle poverty, support families, grow the economy and create fairer futures, we must start by strengthening local democracy.

“This manifesto sets out a route map to get there. We are ready to work constructively with all parties, but we will not accept anything less than parity of esteem, fairness and the power to act for our communities.”

Cosla said the manifesto launch marks the start of an “intensive” national campaign to secure cross-party support and “make local government central to Scotland’s future”.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Local government is a crucial partner in helping to deliver better outcomes for the people of Scotland.

“That is why we have provided councils with a record £15.1bn this year, a real terms increase of 5.5%, and have delivered a wide range of powers for local councils.

“Our joint local governance review with Cosla will conclude by the end of the Parliament, setting out how power and resources can be better shared between national and local government and with communities.”