COSLA Political Structures

COSLA is a public sector organisation that acts as the representative voice of Scottish local government. The organisation is accountable to the political leadership of member local authorities and is directed by a Convention that meets three times per year. The Convention is the overall COSLA ruling body for policy decisions and is composed of representatives from all member councils and political groups represented within Scottish Local Government. COSLA’s key objectives are to:

Develop external relationships with bodies such as the Scottish Executive and Parliament;
Address and influence key constitutional issues for local government;
Influence the development of public policy in line with the political direction set by the political leadership of COSLA;
Influence and protect the resourcing of Local Government;
Contribute to the agenda on issues relating to Local Government as an employer;
Promote the role, image and credibility of local government;
Develop COSLA as a well-managed and professional organisation.

The following political structures are supported by COSLA’s work:

Structure	Description
Convention	The overall COSLA ruling body for policy and direction consists of representatives from all member councils and political groups represented within Scottish Local Government. The Convention meets three times a year in different venues throughout Scotland.
Leaders Meetings	COSLA’s main decision making body. The Leaders Meeting has a range of responsibilities, the key ones being: the responsibility for recommending a Business Plan to the Convention; an Annual Budget; and an Annual Report. Once approved by the Convention, the Leaders Meeting is responsible for the political management and conduct of the affairs of the Convention as well as the agreed oversight of the implementation of the Convention’s plan and policies. The Leaders Meeting can also approve new policy positions between meetings of the Convention.
Executive Groups	There are 6 Executive Groups composed of elected members, which allow the core work of COSLA to be progressed through policy debate and exploration. By linking in to these structures, CSMP is able to obtain political feedback about its policy positions.

The political structures of COSLA are supported by an officer group that is responsible for composing policy agendas. CSMP sits within the Community Resourcing team, which focuses on a range of social policy issues including housing & homelessness, social justice, criminal justice and culture & leisure.

CSMP has the option of taking important policy initiatives through the COSLA political structures, such that key policies in relation to migration, asylum and refugees – many of which will impact on the delivery of local authority service provision – can be considered by COSLA’s political leadership. This allows important policies to be endorsed on a national political basis. Political approval generates a high level of democratic accountability in relation to policy decision, inasmuch as it reflects the will of elected members. It also facilitates strong strategic linkages with local priorities.

In general, the COSLA structure facilitates a policy flow from operational level through to strategic level, and, where appropriate, to political level. This is highlighted in the schematic below:

COSLA Political Structures