Radical plan for old council sites

Communities should be encouraged to buy unused council buildings and land for their own benefit, rather than allow them to fall into private hands, according to the Deputy First Minister.

Nicola Sturgeon said too many public assets were being privatised because of a lack of money for grassroots community projects to buy the land for public use, or because of a lack of resolve by local authorities.

Initiatives being considered by the SNP were debated by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations yesterday.