A report said that local authorities in Scotland had some way to go in making participation in community planning a practical reality for young people.
Source: Terry Barber and Mike Naulty, Your Place or Mine?: A research study exploring young people s participation in community planning, Centre for Research in Community Learning and Development/University of Dundee, available from YouthLink Scotland (0131 313 2488
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2005-Oct
An article examined the effect of devolution on local government in Scotland. It said that Scottish central?local relations continued to be characterized by a sense of mistrust of local government, especially among civil servants and a continuing desire for central control of key policy agendas.
Source: Mark McAteer and Michael Bennett, 'Devolution and local government: evidence from Scotland', Local Government Studies, Volume 31 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2005-Jun
An audit report said that local councils in Scotland had made improvements in customer service: but that they needed to further review their organization and leadership to ensure their customer service was as efficient and effective as possible.
Source: Improving Customer Service Through Better Customer Contact, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf) | Audit Scotland press release (pdf) | SE press release
Date: 2005-May
An audit report compared the performance of local councils in Scotland, in areas such as council tax collection rates, payment of invoices, employee sickness levels, and the processing of benefit applications. Scottish councils improved in a number of key areas.
Source: Corporate Management: Performance indicators 2003/04 - Comparing the performance of Scottish councils, Audit Scotland for Accounts Commission and Auditor General (0131 477 1234)
Links: Report (pdf) | Audit Scotland press release (1) (pdf) | Audit Scotland press release (2) (pdf) | SE press release
Date: 2005-Jan
