Local Government is UNISON Scotland’s biggest service group. Its remit covers a range of employees including those of all of Scotland’s councils, Direct Labour and Direct Service Organisations, Trusts, Joint Boards, voluntary and related organisations and private companies.
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Catch up with the latest updates at Fighting for Scottish Council Workers
Catch up with the latest updates at Fighting for Scottish Council WorkersLatest updates
Briefing 174 Public Service Reform Update
Public Service Reform (PSR) is the central mission of the newly elected SNP minority government, with the cabinet secretary in ... Read More
Briefing 173 Council Budgets Crisis
The Accounts Commission has published a stark warning about the state of council finances in Scotland. It warned that overall ... Read More
More than nine in ten council staff struggling with cost of living, says UNISON
Cost of living pressures mean more than nine in ten local government workers in Scotland are struggling to make ends ... Read More
West Dunbartonshire school learning assistants vote for strike action in job grade dispute, says UNISON
School learning assistants who support pupils with profound needs in West Dunbartonshire have voted overwhelmingly to strike in a dispute ... Read More
Briefing 171 Local Government Benchmarking Report 2024/25
Every year the Improvement Service carry out research on how councils are performing against a range of measures, giving information ... Read More
UNISON Scotland budget response: A budget that fails public services, says UNISON
UNISON's Scottish secretary Lilian Macer said: "Today’s Scottish budget does not go far enough to address the deepening crisis across ... Read More
West Dunbartonshire’s school learning assistants to be balloted for strike action in job grade dispute, says UNISON
School learning assistants who support pupils with profound needs in West Dunbartonshire are to take part in a strike ballot ... Read More
Briefing 168 – Population challenges for public services and the economy
This briefing looks at the implications of current and projected demographic change. It summarises recent publications from the Improvement Service ... Read More
Briefing 167 – Scottish Government Public Sector Reform Summit
On October 14th 2025 the Scottish Government held what they billed as a "Public Sector Reform Operational Summit" . The ... Read More
Briefing 165 – Scottish Government Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan
The Scottish Government has published it's Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan. The aim of the document is to provide some detail ... Read More
More Local Government News
Latest local government briefings
Briefing 141 – National Care Service Bill Update
The General Principles of the National Care Service Bill were approved by Parliament on 29 February. This briefing summarises where ...
Briefing 140 – National Social Work Agency Update
This briefing sets out the current proposals for a National Social Work Agency. These plans are still under discussion and ...
Briefing 139 – National Care Service: Revised Government Plans
The Scottish Government has radically revised its plans for a National Care Service. This follows negotiations with COSLA and the ...
Briefing 138: Local Government 24-25 Finance: Council Funding Allocations
This briefing looks at local government finances, focusing on the provisional funding allocations to Scottish councils for 2024/25 and the ...
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Latest responses and submissions
UNISON’s Response – European Charter on Local Self Government
All of us rely on the services delivered by local government. From childcare to elderly care, to supporting vulnerable people, ...
Early Learning and Childcare Service Model for 2020
The provision of a free at the point of use public childcare service has been a demand of the trade ...
Pupils with Additional Support Needs
UNISON members are clear that currently we are not getting it right for children with additional support needs (ASN). Children ...
Evidence to the Local Government Committee on the proposed Planning Bill
The government states that: “The planning system supports the Scottish government’s purpose of creating a more successful country with opportunities ...
More on responses page