18 March 2005
Business leaders have called for the removal of several major functions from Scotland's 32 local authorities, including education and social work.
In a submission to the committee of inquiry considering the future of local government finance, the Confederation of British Industry in Scotland states: 'If education, social work and police, fire and emergency planning were transferred to the Executive or other public bodies, the cost of providing the remaining locally providing services would amount on average to about the levels of council tax raised.'
But Pat Watters, president of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, described the proposal as 'anti-democratic'.
PFmar2005