The ‘Modernisation’ of Political Management Arrangements in Post Devolution Scottish Local Government

Abstract

While devolution has brought central government geographically and politically closer to local government it has not shielded it from pressures to ‘modernise’ its political management arrangements. However, devolution has created a different political context to other parts of the UK and this has allowed Scottish local government to voice its views on ‘modernisation’ with perhaps greater weight than is the case elsewhere. Moreover, ‘modernisation’ has not resulted in the decline of political parties and the diminution of the ‘political’ nature of local government decision making. Equally internal council political hierarchies remain important in the decision making processes of councils. However, while the language of ‘modernisation’ appears to be alien to many Scottish councillors, many of its associated activities are not. While different political parties view the issues relating to ‘modernisation’ in different lights it is important to note that when councillors form part of a local administration their views on the core issues of ‘modernisation’ are more similar than the party divide may suggest. Many of the core objectives of ‘modernisation’ are being delivered within Scottish local government but the forms that ‘modernisation’ is taking may not be those that Tony Blair or other prominent ‘modernisers’ may have chosen.