Scotland Daily News – plus a new briefing on families and economic equality as part of the IFS Deaton Review on Inequality.
Resilience plan launched as figures show 30-year high winter death toll
Good morning LGIU members! Grab your morning brew ☕ as we catch you up on everything happening in the world of local government today.
IFS Deaton Inequality Review: families and economic equality
Report summary | 10-min read ⌛
This briefing covers ‘How families matter for understanding economic equality’, published in May 2023, as part of the IFS Deaton Review on Inequality. Full summary below.
HEALTH
Resilience plan launched as figures show 30-year high winter death toll
Scotland experienced its highest winter death toll in over 30 years in the period between December 2022 and March 2023, according to figures from the National Records of Scotland. The data showed 24,427 deaths in this period, marking an 11% increase on the previous winter and the highest since the 1989-90 period. The figures emerged as Health Secretary Michael Matheson, in conjunction with COSLA, published the Scottish Government's winter resilience plan. There is an additional £50m in funding for the Scottish Ambulance Service, along with plans to recruit for 317 frontline staff, as well as call centre workers. Mr Matheson told MSPs care for patients in their own home would be improved, with an extra £12m funding for Hospital at Home to expand these services - providing capacity for an additional 360 beds.
BBC News The Press and Journal
Drug-related hospital admissions increase by 26%
The number of drug-related hospital admissions in Scotland increased by 26% between June and August this year compared to the previous quarter, according to the Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (Radar) system's quarterly report. Acute hospital admissions rose from 1,886 to 2,378 over the period. Additionally, 307 suspected drug deaths were recorded by police in the three months to August, up from 286 in the same period last year.
The Courier The Press and Journal
CARE
COSLA welcomes NCS talks progress
Discussions between councils and the Scottish Government on the new National Care Service have made positive progress, according to Eddie Follan, chief officer for health and social care at COSLA. An agreement has been reached on how legal responsibilities will be divided under the new service. Initially, there were objections from local authorities, trade unions, and other groups. However, there will be no transfer of staff, functions, or assets from local authorities, Mr Follan told Holyrood's health committee. The National Care Service Bill has been delayed to allow for more negotiations, with stage one now set to be completed in January 2024.
The Courier The Press and Journal
EDUCATION
Unison school staff to start strike action on November 1
Unison members in Glasgow, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde will go on a rolling strike starting on November 1. The action is part of an ongoing dispute over pay. Glasgow City Council announced the closure of all nurseries, primary schools, and ASL schools for all pupils. Secondary schools will only be open for S4 – S6 students.
STV Glasgow Evening Times Herald Scotland
Holyrood launches inquiry into additional support for learning
MSPs have launched an inquiry into the provision of additional support for children in education. The education, children and young people committee is seeking input from the public, including parents, teachers, support staff, and pupils, on how services are provided to those with additional support needs. The committee is particularly interested in views on including children in mainstream education, the impact of the Covid pandemic on support availability, and the process for disputes with schools and local authorities. The inquiry will also examine the implementation of legislation and its practicality.
Herald Scotland The Press and Journal
Roundtable: The state of local government finance in Scotland
Online | 17:15-18:45 | 26 Oct | FREE
Join us on tomorrow for a discussion on local government finances in Scotland including council capacity, spending decisions and pressures faced by staff and elected members. This roundtable is part of a programme of work being undertaken by our Local Democracy Research Centre to establish a clear picture of the funding situation across local government.
Your insights are an important part of this research. Book your free place.
REGENERATION
Dumbarton's Artizan Centre to be transformed
Plans have been revealed for the transformation of Dumbarton's Artizan Centre. The £10m project, largely funded by the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund, aims to overhaul the rundown precinct and potentially include a health centre, affordable homes, a retirement development, a town square, and enhanced retail facilities. West Dunbartonshire Council plans to seek planning permission for the proposals and consider input from the public and business community.
The Daily Record
TRANSPORT
Arbroath active travel scheme approved
Angus Council has approved the A92 Arbroath active travel scheme at a special meeting. The £14m plan, called A Place for Everyone, will cost the council £4m, with the charity Sustrans adding over £10m. Construction is scheduled to start in January 2024 with an estimated completion date of July 2025. A Place for Everyone's designers aim to improve accessibility by restoring areas and facilities disconnected by the current road. They claim this will create a seafront people will increasingly want to use. It is also projected to deliver increased footfall to shopping areas and attractions for locals and visitors.
The Courier
HOUSING
Higher council tax for second-home owners backed
A majority of Scots support the possibility of charging second homes more in council tax, according to a Scottish Government consultation. Ministers are considering allowing local authorities to charge up to double the full rate of council tax on homes that are not used as a main residence, which would be in addition to the existing council tax premium on empty homes. Submissions came from 73 trade groups, unions and other organisations, and 908 responses were from members of the public. At the end of September last year, there were an estimated 24,287 second homes in Scotland.
The Courier The Times The Press and Journal The Scotsman
LEISURE & TOURISM
Business leaders outline opposition to tourist tax
Business leaders in the Highlands have told MSPs of their concern that a proposed tourist tax could lead to more anti-social behaviour as visitors may choose to park campervans and wild camp instead of staying at established accommodations subject to the fee. While the tax would apply to visitors staying in hotels, hostels, B&Bs, and other lodging establishments, campers and motorhomes parking or camping outside of these facilities would not be subject to the charge. Holyrood's local government, housing and planning committee was also told that the visitor levy could further damage businesses following the regulation of short-term lets and put the industry in Scotland at a competitive disadvantage.
Herald Scotland The Press and Journal The Scotsman
LICENSING
Second attempt to ban strip clubs in Edinburgh backed by council leader
City of Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day has expressed his support for a second attempt to ban strip clubs in the city. The previous decision to limit the number of adult clubs to zero was found to be unlawful, resulting in a legal bill of over £200,000. The council's administration has not yet officially decided upon whether to pursue another ‘nil-cap' on sexual entertainment venue licences. Despite the financial implications, Cllr Day plans to urge his Labour group to support the ban. He said: “I'm firmly of the view that a modern progressive city like Edinburgh doesn't need thee type of venues,. We have to ask is this right for the city going forward and I think it's not right for a capital city and this type of venue.”
The Daily Record
NEW BRIEFING
IFS Deaton Inequality Review: families and economic equality
Report summary | 10-min read ⌛
In May 2019, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) launched the IFS Deaton Review on Inequality, described as “a comprehensive five-year study of inequalities in society”. A number of LGIU briefings over the past four years have covered the launch of the review and subject updates (see related briefings).
This briefing covers ‘How families matter for understanding economic equality’, published in May 2023. The paper explains that income inequality in the United Kingdom is relatively high, with the Gini co-efficient of household disposable income being well above the European Union average and one of the highest in the OECD, in 2019. The paper’s focus is the connection between families and inequality, exploring the relationship between families and inequalities in income and consumption.
This briefing will be of interest to all councillors and officers concerned with economic equality.
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