Scotland's social justice chief declines to promise new council powers

At the conclusion of the party conference, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville refused to guarantee that Holyrood would relinquish powers to local authorities even if those powers were devolved from the DWP. She pointed out that the Scottish Government is mid-consultation on a plan to reorganise council structures into up to ten larger regions and between 120 and 160 smaller entities, inviting input from councils, businesses and charities.

Somerville criticized Andy Burnham for presenting ideas as novel, noting that similar proposals have already been discussed. She referenced a recent letter from the First Minister to the Prime Minister, stating that only one point of that letter has been addressed so far. While welcoming the Prime Minister's visit, Somerville warned against portraying the limited response as a generous, sweeping offer.