This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Local Government (Elections) Bill introduced
04/10/2001
Councils are to serve four-year terms with local
government elections held on the same day as Scottish
Parliament elections as a means of improving voter turnout,
under measures introduced to the Scottish Parliament
today.
The Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill proposes
to extend local authority terms from three to four years
and to combine local government and Scottish Parliamentary
elections. It also allows local authorities to run
innovative pilot schemes aimed at improving voter turnout
at local government elections and making the administration
of these elections more efficient.
Minister for Finance and Local Government, Angus MacKay
said:
"The Scottish Executive has today introduced the
Scottish Local Government (Elections) Bill in the Scottish
Parliament.
"The Executive issued a draft of the Bill on March 30
and received over 80 responses to that consultation. I have
today placed a copy of responses to the consultation,
except those given in confidence, in the Resource Centre of
the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive's
library.
"Of the 31 councils that responded, 22 were in favour of
both a move to four-year terms for councils and, from 2003,
of combined local government and Scottish Parliament
elections. In addition to allowing councils to plan and
deliver more effectively, the extension of council terms
also complements other initiatives, such as the new finance
settlement, and will assist councils in taking a
longer-term strategic view.
"The combined local government and Parliament elections
in 1999 resulted in a marked increase in voter turnout: 59%
against a backdrop of between 41% and 48% from 1976 to
1995. Such high turnout reinforces the democratic mandate
of local government
"A number of councils asked whether it would be possible
to trial new electoral procedures similar to those run in
England and Wales for the May 2000 local government
elections. Accordingly, we have amended the Bill to provide
for similar pilots to be run at local government elections
in Scotland."
BACKGROUND
1. Mr MacKay made the announcement in response to a
Parliamentary Question:
Janis Hughes MSP (LABOUR) (GLASGOW
RUTHERGLEN)
Q To ask the Minister for Finance and
Local Government when the Local Government (Elections)
(Scotland) Bill will be introduced.
A Angus MacKay:
The Scottish Executive has today introduced the Scottish
Local Government (Elections) Bill in the Scottish
Parliament.
The Executive issued a draft of the Bill on 30 March and
received over 80 responses to that consultation. I have
today placed a copy of responses to the consultation,
except those given in confidence, in the Resource Centre of
the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive's
library.
Of the 31 councils that responded, 22 were in favour of
both a move to four-year terms for councils and coincident
local government and Scottish Parliament elections.
Many responses to the consultation commented adversely
on the draft provisions to combine local government
elections with an extraordinary Parliamentary election held
for the Scottish Parliament. Although it was expected that
this power would only be used exceptionally - one possible
example might be where an extraordinary election fell only
a few weeks before the due date - the Executive recognises
the objection of councils that, as originally drafted, the
power could be used more widely. We have therefore decided
to drop the general power from the Bill but retain an
option where an extraordinary election runs close to a
local government election. The council tax setting date of
11
th March has been raised as a suitable date and
seems a sensible break point.
A number of councils asked whether it would be possible
to trial new electoral procedures similar to those run in
England and Wales for the May 2000 local government
elections. Accordingly, we have amended the Bill to provide
for similar pilots to be run at local government elections
in Scotland.
2. The pilot schemes to be run by local authorities can
include changes to
- when, where and how voting at the elections is to
take place (including voting to take place on more than
one day and at places other than polling
stations);
- how the votes cast at the elections are to be
counted.