Local authority body COSLA has reacted with fury as a Scottish government blueprint for a National Care Service confirmed councils will be stripped of their role overseeing social care.

COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said the plans, which would see responsibility for social care taken away from councils and given to a network of boards answering to the government, would “really be the end for anything other than central control in Scotland”.

Yesterday a Scottish government consultation revealed ministers’ vision for a National Care Service.

COSLA, which represents local authorities, reacted angrily last night to confirmation that local authorities would be stripped of their role as the bodies commissioning social care.

Councillor Evison said: “The consultation launched today cuts through the heart of governance in Scotland – not only does it have serious implications for local government – it is an attack on localism and on the rights of local people to make decisions democratically for their place.  It once again brings a centralising approach to how decisions which should be taken locally are made.

“We welcomed large parts of the independent review of adult social care and have been keen to get on and deliver, however the vision this consultation sets out goes beyond the Feeley Report. It isn’t evidence based and will take years to deliver – years when we should be making improvements which will benefit all users of social care services.

“Councils know their communities and all the evidence suggests that local democratic decision-making works.  Councils have shown time and time again during the last 18 months of the pandemic that we can deliver for the communities we serve when we are trusted and resourced to do so.”

A row had broken out over whether this aspect of the Feeley review proposals would be implemented, with one senior figure from COSLA who sat on the review, health and care spokesperson Councillor Stuart Currie, questioning the sums underpinning the review.

Despite expectations the government would stick to the recommendations of an independent review by Derek Feeley, Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart said he wanted move beyond just adult social care.

This would see more services, such as social work, children’s services and drug and alcohol partnerships, be part of the new agency.

Mr Stewart said: “The ambition of this government is to go much further, and to create a comprehensive community health and social care service that supports people of all ages.”

Councillor Evison said this considerable departure from the independent review was “deeply concerning” and suggested local government had been blindsided by the announcement.

“The lack of prior engagement with local government is not new – the partnership between the Scottish Government and local government which we have been seeking to build, continues to elude us in practice and it is the communities we serve who are losing out.

“Let’s be clear - this is not a “thinly veiled” attack on local government – there is no subtlety to it and, sadly for local communities, the ‘onion peel’ of local government services by this government shows no sign of letting up.    

“On behalf of the communities we serve, COSLA and local government will engage constructively with the consultation process.  People may be surprised by the extent of services covered by this consultation and I would urge as many as possible to respond to it, as this could really be the end for anything other than central control in Scotland.”

Read more: Social care review: What does the report say?; ‘Top down’ care review plans branded ‘huge mistake’; Details of National Care Service revealed

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