Future work

At its meeting on 14 June 2022, the Committee agreed a programme of future work.

Understanding Barriers to local elected office

The Committee previously held sessions looking at the barriers to local elected office. The Committee agreed to pause this work until after the local elections in May 2022. The Scottish Government will shortly be publishing an analysis of the diversity of the councillors elected. The Committee has agreed to look at this analysis and consider what progress may have been made in the diversity of candidates returned in May’s elections.

Local Governance Review

The Committee will also return to scrutinise the local governance review progress in the coming months. The local governance review intends to ensure Scotland’s diverse communities and places have greater control and influence over decisions that affect them most. The local governance review was launched in 2017, and last year the Committee urged the Scottish Government to make progress on the review. To inform further work on this issue, the Committee has commissioned research looking at other local government funding models.

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 – post-legislative scrutiny

The Committee expects to begin the second phase of its post-legislative scrutiny of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 later this year. This second phase will focus on community planning. The Committee will agree its approach to this inquiry in September.

Pre-legislative scrutiny of private rented housing legislation

The Scottish Government has said it will introduce legislation concerning private rented housing. The Committee has agreed to do some work before that legislation is introduced to understand the key issues for tenants and landlords.

Correspondence

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Official Reports of meetings

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Committee reports

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To consider and report on matters relating to local government, housing and planning falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy, and matters relating to the Local Government Boundary Commission and local governance review and democratic renewal within the responsibility of the Deputy First Minister.