Directly-elected provosts in Scotland could help promote investment, says report

Conservative think tank Onward said the move could echo the success of mayoral devolution in England

Iain Stewart

Directly-elected “provosts” in Scotland could help champion their local areas and promote investment, a new report argues.

The conservative think tank Onward said the move could echo the success of mayoral devolution in England.

Its new report, called “Beyond Holyrood”, was written by former Scotland Office minister Iain Stewart and has a foreword by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack.

It said existing “Growth Deals” had played a crucial role in delivering more money and power to the people of Scotland, and attention should now turn to what comes next.

The report argues the governments in Westminster and Holyrood should better co-operate on how money is allocated in future deals, with clearer longer-term objectives that seek to maximise local autonomy on how money is spent.

Sebastian Payne, director of Onward, said: “The trend in Scotland since the creation of the Scottish Parliament has been to centralise significant areas of public service, from police to fire and transport, often with bad results. Directly-elected ‘provosts’ can champion their areas and promote investment — echoing the success of the mayoral devolution in England. These provosts can ensure that the economic needs of local areas are not overly dominated by Holyrood and the Scottish Government.”

Mr Jack said there is a “great opportunity to widen and deepen the current package of growth deals" over the next five years.

He said: “The first agreements will conclude in 2026 and the current funding package for levelling-up runs until 2025. It is the right time to plan the next stage. I want to see a healthy debate about how we can best evolve the underlining principles of growth deals and levelling.”

Mr Stewart said: “Growth Deals 2.0 offer a huge opportunity for Scotland. They should be simplified and combined with other funds, with a single, bigger overall fund that will reduce inefficiency.

"The Westminster and Holyrood governments should better co-operate on how money is allocated, with clearer longer-term objectives, but otherwise maximise local autonomy on how money is spent.”

The report argues a cross-party independent commission should be set up to examine what comes next.