All Things Scotland – Find out who ranks top as the best performing council

Front and centre for Scottish local government this week was the 11th annual Local Government Benchmarking Framework (LGBF) National Benchmarking Overview Report from the Improvement Service. Delivering a key evidence base for Councils to evaluate models of service delivery, this report is key reading for understanding innovations and delivery models in Scottish local government

Covering the period of 2021-2022, the draws on the agility of Councils in pivoting from the pandemic to the cost of living crisis, the report highlights the importance of strengthened partnerships with communities and the third sector and highlights the “extraordinary effort and impressive achievements which have been delivered across local government”.

Explore how your Council ranks on Local Government Benchmarking dashboard here.

Harbour regeneration in North Ayrshire Council – Plans for the ‘Great Harbour’ project are set to be released as part of the Council’s long-term plans to transform the area into a “colourful, exciting and cultural hotspot”.

Milestone in Uist harbour regeneration – Following extensive works by Highland Council, stage 1 of Uist Harbour’s regeneration is now complete and ferry services are set to resume on March 23rd!

North Ayrshire’s new draft Vacant and Derelict Land Strategy – With one of the highest proportions of vacant properties of any Scottish Local Authority, the new plan is now open to feedback from the public and communities and you can find the draft plan here!

Public toilets closing in Scottish Borders Council – 14 of the 41 public toilet assets operated by the Council pre-2021 will not re-open as part of plans to sustainably secure the long-term operation of 27 public toilets. Check out our Global Local newsletter on the topic of vanishing public toilets here.

Greenport tax relief details released – Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) rules would offer full or partial relief from the tax on non-residential buildings and land in certain areas within the green freeports and the Scottish Government will also fund local authorities choosing to offer non-domestic rates relief for certain properties or property improvements within the tax sites for up to five years.

Public Audit Committee report on ferry’s – Revealing significant failings, read here to find out how “Scotland’s taxpayers and island communities have been badly let down by many of those involved in the project.”

Regeneration momentum in Aberdeen – Former FTSE 100 chief executive Bob Keiller will lead Aberdeen’s Union Street regeneration which seeks “to bring new businesses and people to the Granite Mile.”

Scottish Town Partnership Chief Officer steps back – After eight and a half years, Phil Prentice is to stand back and Kimberley Guthrie, currently STP’s director of operations, will become interim chief officer of STP.

Minimum Unit Pricing effect on deaths – A new report from Public Heath Scotland shows there has been a 13% reduction in deaths resulting from alcohol consumption in the most socio-economically deprived areas of Scotland when compared to an estimate of the deaths that would have occurred had the policy not been introduced – equivalent to 150 deaths a year. Check out our Global Local on the topic of addiction here.

Increased Social Security Scotland benefits – Twelve Scottish Government benefits including Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Best Start Grants will be increased by 10.1% on 1 April and 13 Scottish Government benefits are now being delivered through Social Security Scotland, 7 of which are only available in Scotland.