Under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and the Local Government (Scotland) Act etc. 1994, Local Authorities or Councils are responsible for administering Common Good Funds.

In our 2005 report Common Good Land. A Review and Critique, we wrote to all 32 Councils in Scotland asking them to provide details of the assets held in their Common Good Funds. Since then we have been collating further information and analysis of how Councils are performing. The results are written up on the Council pages together with links to relevant documents.

In October 2007, we scored the performance of Local Authorities based upon their 2005 return of information. Scores were allocated as follows

A Extent and accuracy of information held on common good assets (4 marks)
0 no information held or refused to supply citing inordinate difficulty
1 some information held but of little value or incomplete
2 information exists but it is unclear whether it is adequate
3 records appear to be comprehensive but gaps and questions remain
4 comprehensive and accurate records exist

B Detail and accuracy of published accounts (2 marks)
0 poor quality accounts which reveal little of the management of the common good fund
1 adequate accounts which reveal basic financial information
2 good accounts which reveal useful detail about the performance of the common good fund

C Presentation and utility of information supplied (2 marks)
0 no or minimal information supplied
1 adequate information supplied
2 good quality information supplied together with maps

D Overall impression of dedication to topic (2 marks)
0 appears not to be concerned about Common Good Funds
1 take adequate note of common good funds but no evidence of strategic approach or any particular attention to their stewardship
2 clearly committed to good stewardship of Common good Funds

In addition, a discretionary +1 or -1 was awarded to reflect factors not adequately taken into account by the above criteria.

How did they perform?

Below are Councils ranked in order of performance.

GOOD PERFORMANCE
Angus Council
Aberdeen City Council
Renfrewshire Council
Orkney Islands Council
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Perth and Kinross Council
South Ayrshire Council

FAIR PERFORMANCE
East Lothian Council
Fife Council
Scottish Borders Council
Glasgow City Council
Moray Council
North Ayrshire Council
West Dunbartonshire Council

POOR PERFORMANCE
East Ayrshire Council
South Lanarkshire Council
City of Edinburgh Council
Falkirk Council
Highland Council
Argyll and Bute Council
Clackmannanshire Council
Dundee City Council
West Lothian Council
Aberdeenshire Council
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
East Dunbartonshire Council
East Renfrewshire Council
Inverclyde Council
Midlothian Council
North Lanarkshire Council
Shetland Islands Council
Stirling Council












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