All Things Scotland: 2023 policy catch up

Long-awaited, Wednesday 11th January saw the Scottish Parliament agree to the revised 4th National Planning Framework.

Ahead of the Scottish Parliament debate and vote on approval of NPF4, the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee delivered a lengthy Christmas present in the form of a new report on the revised NPF4.

Welcoming the revisions since the original draft, the Committee warns that the ambitions of NPF4 will simply not be met due to a lack of planners and more specifically a lack of planners with the skills to meet the challenges of NPF4.

Supporting NPF-4, The Royal Town Planning Institute outlined three key considerations around how to resource the new system, how to ensure the production of a revised Delivery Programme which is fit-for-purpose and how to monitor progress and impact of NPF4. Read the full briefing here.

On the topic of towns, Dundee Council Leader John Alexander gave an in-depth interview to The Courier on the City’s waterfront regeneration. You can find the full piece here.

Report by the independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population analyses a range of place-based policy approaches to population challenges, setting out lessons for Scotland.

A consultation on a proposed definition of ‘Gypsies and Travellers’ for the purpose of local development plan regulations on evidence reports. The purpose of defining “Gypsies and Travellers” in regulations is to enable the Scottish Government and planning authorities to support the Gypsy and Traveller communities better.

Finally, this BBC Scotland Article explores a post-pandemic change in the High Street, where a new breed of first-time entrepreneur are now filling empty units in Towns. Read the full article here.

Shortly before Christmas, the Scottish Government released further information on how the Scottish Budget is funded, and the current spending plans for the year ahead.

Alongside an in-depth briefing on the budget, the Scottish Parliament Information Centre also published a short blog on the need for transparency, participation and accountability in the Scottish Budget.

Meanwhile, COSLA said it was extremely disappointed that once again Local Government and the essential services it delivers have not been prioritised by the Scottish Government in yesterday’s budget announcement.

From the Scottish Government, a new report on Local government finance circular contains the settlement for 2023-2024 and redeterminations for 2022-2023.

GDP Monthly estimate for October 2022, where onshore GDP is estimated to have grown by 0.4% in October, after falling 0.4% in September.

Badenoch and Strathspey was approved as a short-term control area. Approved by Ministers, Scotland’s second short-term let control area follows the Highland Council’s application and proposals which you can find here.

A new blog from Reform Scotland from the Scottish Land Revenue Group examines house prices in conjunction with the cost of living crisis. Read the full blog here.

A vast area of peat bog in the Highlands could become one of the newest UNESCO sites. This comes at the same time as a €15 million Irish government investment in peatland restoration which seeks to expand collaboration across the island of Ireland and Scotland to share agri-environment expertise. Find the full project details here!

Guidance for local authorities on the Scottish Government’s Super Sponsorship Scheme and Scotland’s responsibilities under the UK Government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme. Local authorities working in partnership with other statutory service providers have a critical role to play in its success.

The Scottish Government and COSLA have published a joint Statement of Intent setting out shared priorities for improving social care over the next year.

For more, check out this briefing from Duncan Dunlop on the reform of children social care in Scotland!