Why it is time to devolve power from Holyrood and end SNP's power grab on our communities - Murdo Fraser

There was a second element to the progress he has delivered for Teesside which Houchen has highlighted, namely the devolution of power. His position as a directly elected mayor has given him the authority to drive change. It is his view that the decentralisation of power has fostered innovation and responsiveness, ensuring that policies are more attuned to the diverse needs of the country.

In an article on the Conservative Home website, Houchen says: “We should encourage local policy-making and trust that regional decisions can come together and combine into more than can be achieved by a one-size-fits-all approach that has for too long been the status quo. Conservative delivery looks very different in Stockton than it does in Surrey and we should accept this, embrace it, and allow for divergence in our offer to people”.

This chimes exactly with my own view of what the Scottish Conservatives should be offering. We should not be afraid to be distinctive in our approach compared to our colleagues elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

But there is also an opportunity for greater diversity of approach within Scotland, and that means addressing the over-centralisation of power at Holyrood we have seen under the SNP for the last 17 years.

I know from speaking to colleagues in local government that they feel emasculated by the policy direction of the SNP over the best part of two decades. The days of the “historic concordat” giving greater freedom to local councils seem long past. Instead, the combination of the council tax freeze, slashed budgets and ministerial demands, mean that council leaders feel their ability to take meaningful decisions to assist their local communities is more constrained than ever before.

Local councillors have a vital role to play, representing their constituents and delivering quality public services. It is a depressing fact that serving in local government is seen as unattractive for so many people.

All political parties struggle to find candidates prepared to put themselves forward to serve as local councillors. Although an increase in the salary is now being proposed, the reality is that as a rate per hour for the time that is required to be put in it remains very poor. Even the political leaders of our great cities are paid less than a backbench MSP, creating a situation where the talented John Alexander, SNP leader of Dundee, has made a move to industry citing the pressure on his family from the role.

Other councillors I have spoken to feel deeply frustrated at the constraints on them challenging council staff, who in senior roles have salary packages far above anything they can dream of. It is little wonder that in many authorities across Scotland council groups are made up either of semi-retired older people with an interest in public service, or younger political activists, often working for MPs or MSPs, looking for a first rung on the ladder that might lead them to Parliament.

None of this adds up to a healthy environment within our local councils. And things are about to get worse. At the weekend, there was a suggestion from the SNP that councils would face yet more budget cuts, due to the financial chaos that the Scottish Government have created. This will leave councils with no alternative but to let the council tax rip in order to fill the gap.

It has been a consistent pattern with the SNP in recent years to cut the core funding for local councils, but at the same time pass on additional responsibilities, and challenge them to make up the funding gap through measures such as the Workplace Parking Levy or the tourist tax. Now it seems that council tax bills are set to soar, with the SNP hoping that it will be local authorities getting the blame, and not them at Holyrood.

The centralisation of power in Edinburgh with measures such as the creation of a single police force means that Scotland has been going in the opposite direction from England, where we see real devolution to metro mayors with a significant range of powers. In my view, it is time for Scotland to start heading in that direction too.

There is a strong case for directly elected mayors here for our cities, providing a level of civic leadership which is simply impossible under current arrangements. These would be strong local voices acting as a significant counterweight and challenge to an over-dominant Holyrood.

Equally important is resolving the financial pressures that councils face. Every time the Scottish Government faces a financial challenge, its first answer should not be to cut council funding, and make local representatives take the tough decisions about which services to cut.

Across Scotland we are seeing libraries, leisure centres, swimming pools and public conveniences close. We are seeing roads with potholes not being filled in. We are seeing verges, parks and green spaces not being properly trimmed and maintained. And while it is local councils who might be getting the blame from an angry public, the ultimate blame lies at the door of Holyrood.

So let us see a mechanism like the Barnett Formula whereby councils are guaranteed a fair share of Scottish Government funding, and have some certainty year to year as to how much that will be. Let’s stop the annual smash and grab raid by SNP ministers on council budgets.

Stronger local democracy will be better for our communities and better for Scotland. It will end the conveyor belt of centralisation that has been the hallmark of the SNP. It is real devolution, and the Scottish Conservatives under my leadership will deliver it.