All 32 local authorities in Scotland have finalised Single Outcome Agreements setting out how they will take advantage of greater flexibility to deliver services to meet local needs.
The Outcome Agreements signed off by local authorities and the Scottish Government reflect decisions by councils on the most effective routes to deliver services in line with local needs and national priorities.
Finance Secretary John Swinney, in Stirling today to sign the first of the agreements, said:
"The Concordat we signed with Cosla last November sets out a new relationship with local government; one that recognises the role of councils and councillors as leaders of their local communities.
"Each of the Single Outcome Agreements approved today defines what councils will achieve through the services they deliver and recognises that one size fits all solutions don't work at a local level.
"These Agreements put local authorities and their partners at the heart of local democracy, making locally elected representatives directly accountable to their electors.
"At the same time they reduce the burden of monitoring and reporting, freeing local government to deliver more effectively the services that people want and need.
"Through alignment with the National Performance Framework set out in the Scottish Budget, the 32 Single Outcome Agreements mean that national and local government are working as never before to deliver the more successful country we all wish to see."
Stirling Council Leader Graham Houston said:
"As a Council we unanimously agree that our goal is to work with our Community planning partners to make life better for the citizens and communities of Stirling. We want to make it a place that's open for business, with jobs and opportunities for all, where lifelong learning is valued and encouraged. Threaded through all of this we want to make services better and focus on what citizens want and need and we will continue to encourage active participation of all our communities.
"Of course, the signing of the Single Outcome Agreement is not the end, it merely marks the end of the beginning of the process; and now the real work begins."
All 32 Single Outcome Agreements will be formally signed by members of the Cabinet and Council Leaders over coming weeks.
