Seòmar agus comataidhean

What is your community group’s experience of working with local authorities and other public bodies? Does your local community have an appetite for more empowerment and more involvement in decisions? Has that changed since Covid?

I was asking for your thoughts on the variation and percentage of procurement spending by local authorities on local businesses and social enterprises. What are your views on what more could be done to support that? Should there be more procurement spending on local or social enterprises and on local business?

In evidence that we have taken over the past few weeks and today, we have heard from local government and local services about the desire for multiyear spending commitments. Will the publication of the UK Government’s multiyear spending review enable the Scottish Government to publish multiyear settlements for local government?

I have another question that, again, I might be tempting you rather than Ms Forbes to answer. COSLA’s “Blueprint for Local Government” talks about local authorities having more powers and discretion to set and raise taxes. I know that that falls into the finance secretary’s territory, too, but do you have any views on the matter?

I refer everyone to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am still a councillor at East Lothian Council. I also declare that I know Philip Revell and was previously involved with Sustaining Dunbar. It is good to see him and our other witnesses.

Expanding on the questions that the convener asked, I ask you to talk about your communities’ experiences of working with local authorities and other local bodies, and about how relationships can be improved. I will take the initiative and ask Philip to respond first.

Across Scotland, only 18 per cent of people feel that they can influence decisions affecting their local area. Why do you think that is, and what are the barriers? I know that you have touched on that, but do you wish to add anything in that regard?

I invite Rona Mackay to respond.

Thank you. I put the same question to Alison Macleod.

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a serving councillor on East Lothian Council. I am glad that you read out the title of the regulations, convener, as that has saved me from having to do it.

I want to talk about the changing of the deadline for requesting a replacement for a lost or spoilt postal vote ballot paper from 5 pm to 10 pm on polling days. Why was the deadline previously 5 pm, and what impact will the change have on electoral administrators?

Was there any indication from previous elections that anyone was disenfranchised because the deadline was 5 pm rather than 10 pm?