23 January 2004
Plans to introduce proportional representation for Scottish local government could add £6m to the administration of elections and other costs, senior officials have estimated.
In a report for the Holyrood Parliament's finance committee, the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers (Solace) Scotland, disputes Scottish ministers' contention that the proposed change to the Single Transferable Vote for local government elections will not lead to 'significant additional costs' for councils.
'The change to an STV system will require substantial changes in the current organisation of local elections and there will undoubtedly be extra costs,' Solace states. It concludes that it would be ill-advised to assume extra expenditure of less than £6m.
In its report, Solace warns that STV would require the training of electoral staff, extra polling stations, effective voter education and councils having to provide services for an increased number of political groupings.
Proposals for the dismantling of the first-past-the post system and the introduction of STV in the next council elections, due to be held in 2007, are included in the Local Governance (Scotland) Bill currently before the Scottish Parliament.
First Minister Jack McConnell agreed to the proposed change after the Liberal Democrats insisted it should be part of the coalition Executive's partnership agreement after the Scottish Parliament election last May. Although Labour is divided over the issue, the introduction of PR is expected to go ahead.
A study carried out by West Lothian Council of the effect of STV on its own council estimated that the extra costs for Scotland could be around £3.2m, but the council warned it could be misleading to extrapolate the findings.
PFjan2004
