Scottish Secretary: A new crusade on devolution within Scotland

In a speech to council leaders, the Secretary of State for Scotland will make clear that there is no route to a decent and prosperous Scotland without strong and effective councils. And to ensure that, the Scottish Government must properly devolve funding and powers to Scotland’s local authorities,

Mr Alexander will set out how the promise of devolution has not been delivered, with the Scottish Government deprioritising councils for funding, and centralising powers at Holyrood. Twenty five years on from the advent of devolution, Mr Alexander will call for a new crusade for devolution within Scotland, for a proper debate on the delivery of powers from Holyrood to the regions and communities of Scotland.

Mr Alexander is expected to say:

“During recent decades, Scottish local government ha