Seòmar agus comataidhean

I have a brief supplementary on the tier system. Vicki Swales may have touched on this already. From last week’s round-table session, I understand that the idea is that we will have a tier system that might start out in one way in 2025 or 2026—whenever it is—but will evolve as farming practices change, and money might need to move into different tiers. Is that the idea?

Great. Jim Gallagher, do you have any thoughts about what needs to happen to rebuild trust, or any experience of what is happening in other countries with trust and the relationship between national and local government?

Donna, we will sort out the microphone for you, so you do not need to do that. We are aware that there will be pauses, but that gives us all a little moment to catch our breath.

I think we can hear you, Professor. Give it another go.

That is great—thanks. I will come back later with another question to delve a bit more into the council tax issue, but thank you for bringing the matter up.

Let us go online. Donna, what are your thoughts on the strengths of the Verity house agreement?

I bring in Stephanie Callaghan.

I will pick up on Jim Gallagher’s point about our needing to get much better on things such as paying attention to the sloppy connections between the Verity house agreement and the national performance framework. What role should the Scottish Parliament, including committees, have in scrutinising the Verity house agreement and the performance of local government?

That is great. Thanks. When Jim Gallagher talked about that, I was wondering about specific things. Thank you for giving us something specific.

Jonathan, do you have any thoughts on scrutiny?

Under agenda item 2, we will take evidence on the new deal with local government. The session is an opportunity for the committee to explore external perspectives on the relationship between central and local government in Scotland. We are joined in the room by Professor Jim Gallagher and online by Dr Jonathan Carr-West, who is the chief executive of the Local Government Information Unit, and Professor Donna Hall CBE, who is a former chief executive officer of Wigan Council and NHS Wigan borough clinical commissioning group. I welcome all of you.

I will start with a broad question. I would be interested to hear what you see as being the strengths of the Verity house agreement and whether you think that it encapsulates an approach that could enable local authorities to respond to the severe challenges that they currently face. If not, what does local government need to succeed?

For ease, I will start with Jim Gallagher in the room.

Thanks very much for that, Jonathan. You have mentioned the council tax freeze—indeed, you have all referred to it—and the report that you produced, having spoken to council leaders. What needs to be done now to rebuild trust? That trust might not have been completely trashed, but it might need to be strengthened. What needs to come from central Government in order to restore it?