Library
Our library contains documents held on the Improvement Service site together with links to documents held externally. A list of websites which also hold publications and information useful to those working in local government is available in our Information Sources section.
Users of the IS site are invited to submit documents that they think will be of value to other site users. Please note that you must be a registered user of the Improvement Service website and logged in if you wish to submit a new document. Documents submitted will not appear on the site immediately but will be subject to approval by our editorial team.
If you need any guidance or help please read our 'How to use this site' document.
Local Government in Scotland
DocumentsDate added
Annual report from the Accounts Commission on issues arising from the local authority audits. The 2009 report praises councils for their improvements over 2008-09 but warns about the scale of the challenges ahead, calling on councils to take urgent and radical action to deal with financial cuts.
This report investigates public attitudes towards local government in Scotland, focusing in particular on public satisfaction with local authority services. It provides an overview of resident satisfaction with local council service areas, and explores how service use, and demographic and attitudinal variables, can influence public evaluations of local government services. Finally, it outlines key factors that drive public satisfaction with local government, which it is particularly important for local authorities to harness if they are to improve their public image.
A brief introduction to local government in Scotland. The article includes an outline of the Scottish local government landscape and summarises council roles and functions, council structures, policy developments that have impacted local government and recent electoral change. An Annex outlines the history of local government structure in Scotland.
Report of the Single Transferable Vote Working Group, whose remit was to examine the procedures necessary to facilitate council elections being held using the Single Transferable Vote, and how multi-member wards might work in practice.
Renewing local democracy - Report of the widening access to council membership progress group
15/05/2006
This report examines the issues surrounding widening access and makes recommendations on how the widening access agenda can be taken forward. it contains a package of measures which can have a real impact, making council chambers more representative of the people they serve.
Report of the Councillors' Remuneration Progress Group, which was tasked with considering the options for councillors remuneration and the associated costs; considering the practical implications of giving councillors access to a pension scheme; and considering the role and remit of the Remuneration Committee established by the Local Governance (Scotland) Bill, and the skills and experience needed by its members.
