Scotland’s councils adopt emergency decision-making powers

Scotland’s largest local authorities have adopted emergency decision-making powers as the coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt civic life across Europe.

City of Edinburgh Council will enter recess from Friday, with normal committee business suspended

Glasgow City Council today temporarily suspended its regular committee meetings, with all urgent business instead to be dealt with by its City Administration Committee, which will have a reduced membership.

The council’s chief executive and directors will be authorised to deal with a range of matters, such as applications for licences, permissions and grants.

But any proposed action that is contrary to current council policy will be referred to the City Administration Committee for a final decision.

City of Edinburgh Council confirmed yesterday that it will enter recess ahead of schedule on Friday, with all committees similarly suspended.

Urgent business in the capital will instead be dealt with by its Council Leadership Forum - made up of group leaders of each party.

Both local authorities confirmed to The Scotsman that any meeting of these committees would be live streamed to allow the public to watch.

Aberdeen and Dundee city councils said their committee meetings would continue as normal just now, but that the situation would be regularly reviewed.

A spokesman for Aberdeen City Council said: “Our committee meetings are currently still scheduled to go ahead as normal but given the dynamic nature of the current situation we are currently looking at possible contingencies.”

The Scottish Parliament is continuing to meet as normal, but the Holyrood building has been closed to public tours and weekend visitors.