Democracy Matters route map published
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 1st April 2026
The Scottish Government has published its Democracy Matters Route Map, setting out the current progress and next steps around what new community governance arrangements could look like.
The paper, published ahead of May’s election, explores how a representative community body could enable more local participation and engagement in decision-making.
This organisation could already exist in some areas, but may need to be established in others, according to the route map. It will be integrated with wider local governance arrangements and closely linked with local public sector agencies.
That connection to public bodies will be key, with plans for “stronger requirements” to guide how agencies make decisions about local spending. "Where decisions are taken by public bodies contrary to local plans, they will need to clearly set out why," the paper notes.
Along with this, the government outlines possible mechanisms that could enable the transfer of discretionary budgets to communities who are "ready to take on these responsibilities and have the capacity to manage delivery”.
The route map includes a three-phase approach to taking these ideas further, including the introduction of any necessary changes in policy and legislation to give communities "further rights, powers and support".