A NEW way of electing local councillors will be passed by the Scottish Parliament today
By Brian Currie
Published June 23rd 2004 in Glasgow Evening Times
MSPs were debating the Bill to scrap the first-past-the-post system and replace it with a form of proportional representation, but it has already overcome all serious opposition.
The next local authority elections in 2007 will be fought using the Single Transferable Vote system.
That means larger wards with three or four councillors in each, instead of the present one, and will lead to more hung councils.
Under the new Local Governance Bill, Labour - which currently has outright control of 13 of Scotland's 32 local authorities - will be the main loser.
That risk was accepted by First Minister Jack McConnell because proportional representation was the cornerstone of the partnership agreement in the Labour-LibDem coalition pact.
Driving the change through Parliament is Minister for Finance and Public Services Andy Kerr who said today: "Improving the delivery of top-quality public services is one of our key priorities and one that is shared by Scotland's councils.
"The Governance Bill is a milestone in driving forward our renewing local democracy agenda.
"It reflects our continuing commitment to improving democratic participation and widening the range of people who become involved in local government.
"The package of measures in this Bill will make it easier for people to consider standing for election."
Despite opposition from some Labour MSPs, the Bill sailed though its first stage when it was debated in Parliament by 95 votes to 19 and six abstentions.
Two Labour backbenchers - Elaine Smith of Coatbridge and Chryston and Helen Eadie of Dunfermline East - sided with the Tories against the Bill.
Another six labour MSPs abstained including three from Glasgow - Paul Martin, Bill Butler and Johann Lamont.
The new local elections voting system will mean Scotland's 1222 single-member wards will be replaced by 250-400 multi-member wards.
Election Day '09 was a roller-coaster for election reformers. Instant runoff voting had a great night in Minnesota, where St. Paul voters chose to implement IRV for its city elections, and Minneapolis voters used IRV for the first time—with local media touting it as a big success. As the Star-Tribune noted in endorsing IRV for St. Paul, Tuesday’s elections give the Twin Cities a chance to show the whole state of Minnesota the benefits of adopting IRV. There were disappointments in Lowell and Pierce County too, but high-profile multi-candidate races in New Jersey and New York keep policymakers focused on ways to reform elections; the Baltimore Sun and Miami Herald were among many newspapers publishing commentary from FairVote board member and former presidential candidate John Anderson on how IRV can mitigate the problems of plurality elections.