The creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 has been a “step backwards” for local democracy, former council chief executives have said as they called for a “new democratic settlement” for local authorities.

A paper written by former chief executive of Stirling Council Keith Yates urges ministers to devolve power from the Scottish Government to local leaders.

Published by think tank Enlighten, the paper warns that while Holyrood “may have been one giant step for Scottish devolution from Westminster”, it has been “one step backwards for local democracy”.

Mr Yates wrote the paper alongside other former chief executives as part of the Mercat Group, an informal network of ex-local authority leaders aiming to revitalise local democracy.

The paper said that since the “highwater mark” of l

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