COSLA@COSLA
2h
The Scottish Association of Social Work and @socworkscot published a joint briefing last week looking at delayed discharge in the context of public service reform.

Read the briefing here: ow.ly/hiQi5104rux
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COSLA@COSLA
6h
COSLA has launched our budget lobbying campaign, Strong Councils, Strong Communities.

"The choice is clear: either we invest in local services or we accept their decline. Communities across Scotland deserve better than that."

Read more here: cosla.gov.uk/news/2026/nove…
Photo of Cllr Kelly Parry against purple background with text: "the choice is clear: either we invest in local services or we accept their decline. communities across Scotland deserve better."
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COSLA@COSLA
8h
Today, COSLA has launched our national budget lobby campaign, Strong Councils, Strong Communities!

Listen to our COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Cllr Kelly Parry, introduce our campaign in our launch video below.

Read our budget lobbying document here: ow.ly/fojc5104ykO
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 8
"This should be led from the bottom up, not from the top down."

Our Resources Spokesperson @KellyMParry calls for a partnership approach to be taken between Scottish Government and COSLA on local governance reform, and for communities and the workforce to be engaged fully.
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 6
COSLA's Health and Social Care Board met this morning to discuss Local Government's own vision for social care. The outline vision was agreed by COSLA Leaders last week to take forward in discussions with the Scottish Government as part of Public Service Reform.
Councillor Paul Kelly in a black suit and red tie with the text "COSLA's Health and Social Care Board met this morning to discuss Local Government's own vision for social care." A white COSLA logo in the top right corner. A dark purple background with the text "Today's meeting of the Health and Social Care Board outlined COSLA has its own vision for social care, centred on local democratic accountability, partnership working, and ensuring services are designed around the needs of communities. We are now discussing these proposals with the Scottish Government." Councillor Paul Kelly, COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson.
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 6
This week's COSLA Explains looks at how an outcomes-based Public Service Reform Programme could accelerate work to reduce poverty in Scotland.

Swipe to learn more ➡️
The Scottish Parliament with the title "Tackling Poverty Through Public Service Reform. How an outcomes-based Public Service Reform Programme could accelerate work to reduce poverty in Scotland." A white COSLA logo in the top right corner. A purple floral background with the title "Building upon local successes." Three paragraphs highlight the clear evidence of local innovation, increasingly sophisticated use of data and close partnership working. Images of a lightbulb, a graph and hands holding jigsaw pieces accompany the text.
A purple background with the title "We know more has to be done". Three bullet points note that: despite a slight fall in the overall poverty rate, progress remains tentative and fragile; on current forecasts, child poverty targets will be missed; poverty remains entrenched in priority groups. A purple pie chart shows this includes "47% of children in minority ethnic families growing up in poverty."A purple brick wall with the title "Outcomes-based public service reform". Three paragraphs note: we must accelerate work to tackle poverty; this will require a fully funded Local Government, building on local success; and public service reform must put outcomes first, learning from those who deliver services. Three images of an increasing graph, two people helping each other up and three people in a group accompany the text.
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 5
📢 It's 2 weeks until the COSLA Conference 2026!

We are looking forward to welcoming Councillor Aengus O'Rourke, and Tommy Moylan of the Association of Irish Local Government to share their lessons and experiences from Local Government in Ireland.
A light purple background with portraits of Councillor Aengus O'Rourke - wearing a grey suit and white shirt - and Tommy Moylan - wearing a blue suit, white shirt and striped tie - from the Association of Irish Local Government. The text reads "COSLA Conference 2026. Perspective from Local Government in Ireland. 19 November." A dark purple COSLA logo in the top right corner.
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 5
Our next blog looks at how COSLA supports local authorities working with Gypsy/Traveller families to agree safe and suitable temporary stopping places, through our Resource Document for Supporting Gypsy/Traveller Temporary Stopping Places.

🔗 ow.ly/YcMh51043FJ
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 4
Today, COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Cllr Maureen Chalmers, reflects on the need to accelerate work to tackle poverty in Scotland and ensure that public service reform is focused on outcomes and building on local successes.

Watch the video 📹
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 3
COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson, @cllrpaulkelly, visiting the Healthy n Happy Community Development Trust in Rutherglen today. This visit coincided with today's NRS probable suicides 2025 in Scotland publication.

Read more here: ow.ly/Jov65103q1m
Group of nine adults including Paul kelly standing indoors at a community event promoting Healthy n Happy in Scotland."Every suicide is a tragedy that has a profound impact on families, friends, and communities. Today, our thoughts are with everyone affected by suicide. Suicide prevention is everyone's business, and we all have a role to play. COSLA and the Scottish Government are determined to deliver on our national suicide prevention strategy, Creating Hope Together which aims to reduce suicide while addressing the wider factors that can increase suicide risk.”
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 3
COSLA Vice President Cllr Steven Heddle was featured in The Herald today, setting out COSLA's view that public service reform must focus on outcomes, local democracy & sustainable council funding, not wholesale local government reorganisation. Read more 🔽
ow.ly/h4pe5103hHq
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 2
Today, COSLA'S Sport and Physical Activity SIG had the opportunity to hear from @Edinburgh_CC and @Ed_Leisure on the work they are doing in sports and leisure for women and girls.

Read their strategy here: ow.ly/FpIM5103143

#SheCanSheWill #LocalGovernment
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COSLA@COSLA
Nov 2
It's Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week 2026! Get involved in the Week by sharing the campaign's customisable content with your network. Find the Partner Toolkit and campaign assets here:
ow.ly/smJM5101qkW

Oh - and use the hashtag #SheCanSheWill !
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COSLA@COSLA
Oct 31
COSLA Leaders agreed their vision for public service reform yesterday. They called for Scottish Government to work with COSLA and to meaningfully engage with communities and the workforce through the process.

Full coverage here ⬇️

bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…
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COSLA@COSLA
Oct 30
Council Leaders today (30th October) agreed a vision for public service reform and called for the Scottish Government to work with councils on future reforms to local services.

📰 Read our release here: ow.ly/i2P95102vgS
COSLA President Cllr Shona Morrison and Vice President Cllr Steven Heddle against a white background. The title reads "Public Service Reform Must Start with Outcomes, Not Structures." The text explains that Council Leaders today called for the Scottish Government to work with councils on future reforms to local services and COSLA agreed a vision for public service reform.
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COSLA@COSLA
Oct 30
This week's COSLA Explains looks at how the Local Government workforce could be impacted by public service reform proposals and why trade unions, staff, and employers must be meaningfully involved in shaping reform.

Swipe to learn more ➡️
A teacher presenting to students in a classroom. The title reads "Public service reform must consider workforce impacts and meaningfully engage staff. How the workforce could be impacted by the Scottish Government’s proposals to reorganise councils and why trade unions, staff, and employers must be meaningfully involved." A white COSLA logo in the top right corner.A gritter clearing a snowy road. The title reads "Local Government Workforce: Key Facts". Four paragraphs highlight key facts about the number of people employed by councils, the services council staff deliver, how terms and conditions work for council employees and the pressures facing councils in recent years. Four images accompany the text showing a handshake, hands holding a house, a document and a graph.
A group of people working outside. The title reads "Public Service Reform: Considering the workforce impacts". Four purple arrows with text highlighting the complexity of reorganising councils, the questions that remain unanswered in Scottish Government proposals, the need for workforce, Trade Unions and employers to play a central role in shaping reform, and the need for any changes to be underpinned by Fair Work principles and limit uncertainty for workers. A purple background with the title "What next? COSLA and our trade union partners are calling for." Three images showing people conversing, a document and a clock, and a hand holding money, accompany key points about meaningful engagement with the workforce, a realistic approach to timescales and understanding of reform, and investment to support long-term sustainability of services. Councillor Kelly Parry's joint statement with UNISON, UNITE and GMB is linked: www.cosla.gov.uk/news.
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COSLA@COSLA
Oct 29
📢 Our latest Elected Member Bulletin is out now! In this issue:

🟣Public Service Reform
🟣COSLA Conference 2026
🟣Budget Lobbying
🟣Local Government Workforce

...and much more!

📰 Read here: ow.ly/Lnn35102a4L
A dark purple background with the title "COSLA Elected Member Bulletin". Followed by four light purple bubbles highlighting four key points from the bulletin: Emerging Public Service Reform Proposals, COSLA Conference 2026, Elected Member Webinar: Budget Lobbying and Local Government Workforce" followed by the text "and lots more!"
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COSLA@COSLA
Oct 29
COSLA has today (29th October) released a joint statement with Local Government Trade Unions (UNISON, GMB & UNITE) on Public Service Reform.

Read our release here: ow.ly/o8eV5101YmL
Image of Cllr Kelly Parry with white COSLA logo and text COSLA and Local Government trade unions, UNISON, UNITE and the GMB issue a statement on Public Service Reform.Purple slide with white cosla logo and quote from Councillor Kelly Parry: “Public service reform must be evidence-based and underpinned by meaningful engagement with the Local Government workforce, realism about timescales and the complexities of reform, and the investment required to support the long-term sustainability of services.  Our joint message as Local Government employers and trade unions is clear and we stand ready to engage constructively with the Scottish Government as equal partners. "
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COSLA@COSLA
Oct 28
COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Cllr Kelly Parry, has today (28th October) commented on the UK Government’s Budget announcement.

📰 Read the full statement here: cosla.gov.uk/news/2026/octo…
Photo of Councillor Kelly Parry wearing a grey suit in a Scottish Parliament committee room with the title "COSLA responds to the UK Government’s Budget Announcement. Councillor Kelly Parry, COSLA Resources Spokesperson."
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COSLA@COSLA
Oct 28
We're excited to announce that Dawn Roberts, Professor Patricia Findlay and Peter Hunter will be joining us at the COSLA Conference 2026 for a masterclass focusing on Fair Work and Local Government.

➡️ Find out more and book your place today: ow.ly/mo8V50ZXWlm
A light purple background with the title "COSLA Conference 2026. Masterclass: Fair Work and Local Government. 19 November." With photos of: Dawn Roberts, Chief Executive, Dumfries & Galloway Council; Professor Patricia Findlay, University of Strathclyde; and Peter Hunter, UNISON." The COSLA logo is in the top right corner in purple.
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