Greens in call for local communities to be given more power
The Scottish Greens will call for more power to be handed down to local communities as the party sets its sights on next year's council elections.
The Scottish Greens will call for more power to be handed down to local communities as the party sets its sights on next year's council elections.
Co-convener Maggie Chapman will rally delegates at the party's autumn conference at the Perth Concert Hall, telling them Greens would offer an alternative to the "centralising" SNP.
The number of Green MSPs trebled from two to six in May's Holyrood election and the party hopes to capitalise on a surge in support to win a record level of representation in the 2017 local elections.
Ms Chapman is expected to say: "We don't just need more power for Holyrood - we need more power in communities across Scotland.
"Local authority elections offer us the chance to make that case this coming year. I know it's not always an easy case to make.
"When I was a councillor I made the case for giving communities the right to decide how community grant money was spent. Not everyone agreed - it would result in worse decisions or there would be very little interest.
"Nearly a decade later, the Scottish Government has agreed to put £2 million into participatory budgeting across Scotland.
"When I suggested a living wage for all Edinburgh Council employees, people thought it was just not practical. Not practical to pay workers a wage that enables them to live in dignity and comfort.
"Now we have a widespread commitment to living wage - even if George Osborne still gets it confused with the minimum wage.
"Next year in May, people across Scotland will have the opportunity to choose who will lead, transform and develop their local authorities.
"This presents perhaps our best opportunity to ensure our green principles of participatory democracy form the bedrock of our local government.
"We Greens will offer an alternative to the centralising tendencies of the SNP. We Greens will present plans for local government that are inclusive and participative.
"We Greens will be leading the charge against austerity and cuts to local jobs and services."