22 April 2005
Finance Minister Tom McCabe has called for a reduction in the number of council chief executives and finance directors in Scotland as part of his plans to reform public services.
'We all know current structures aren't ideal, but we are missing the bigger picture if we focus only on the size and boundaries of councils,' he told the annual conference of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) in St Andrews.
McCabe, whose remit includes public service reform, made it clear that big management changes could be on the way and particularly singled out the chiefs in charge of Scotland's 32 unitary councils.
He ruled out any large-scale reorganisation of local government before 2007 – the date of the next council elections. But he questioned the need for posts such as chief executives and directors of finance in every council.
'I do want to reduce the number of finance directors and I do want to reduce the number of chief executives and the pyramid of officials that sit below them, because I do not think that is a good use of resources,' he said.
The minister was criticised for failing to spell out how a reduction would be achieved. McCabe has already called for the amalgamation of backroom council departments affecting areas such as payroll and council tax collection.
Confirming that the Executive plans to examine the management of all public services in Scotland, including those provided by quangos, he said there was a need to start immediate planning for changes that would take place after 2007.
'That planning needs to start now and that may require testing out some new approaches,' McCabe stated. The minister urged councils to work in partnership with the Executive but warned that if councils failed to co-operate, legislation would be considered.
Cosla chief executive Rory Mair said the challenge was for local government to drive reform in the public sector. He said the warning was clear, and added: 'If we don't do that within a national framework discussed with the minister, he will do it to us.'
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