Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning
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{{Politics of Scotland}}
The Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning was a junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the Minister did not attend the Scottish Cabinet.[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1998/ukpga_19980046_en_1 Scotland Act (1998)], Only those appointed under Section 47 of the Scotland Act "attend" Cabinet. Junior ministers are appointed under Section 49 and may be "present". The minister supported the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, who has overall responsible for the portfolio.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.scot/news/new-scottish-cabinet/|title=New Scottish Cabinet|publisher=Scottish Government|date=19 May 2021|accessdate=20 May 2021}}
The last Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning was Joe FitzPatrick MSP, who was appointed on 29 March 2023 and resigned on 8 May 2024 before the role was undertaken by the Public Finance Minister.{{Cite web |title=Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning: resignation letters |url=https://www.gov.scot/publications/minister-local-government-empowerment-planning-resignation-letter/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.gov.scot |language=en}}
Overview
The Minister had responsibility for:{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.scot/about/who-runs-government/cabinet-and-ministers/minister-for-local-government-empowerment-and-planning/|title=Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning|date=1 May 2024|accessdate=1 May 2024|publisher=Scottish Government}}
- local government
- planning and National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4)
- town centre regeneration including business improvement districts
- regeneration policy and the place-based investment programme
- retail policy, recovery and strategy
History
In 2011, the position of Minister for Local Government and Planning was created; the portfolio changed in November 2014 following a reshuffle by Nicola Sturgeon when she became First Minister of Scotland. The post was rebranded at that point to Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment.
In September 2012, the junior post of Minister for Housing and Welfare was announced, with a portfolio intended to reflect the important role of housing in aiding economic recovery and the challenges that face those in poverty. In May 2016, Nicola Sturgeon reshuffled junior ministers and the post joined local government and housing in a new Minister for Local Government and Housing role. Planning was added to the title in June 2018. The title was changed in May 2021 to Minister for Social Security and Local Government at the start of the third Sturgeon government, with the post also taking responsibility for social security, which between 2018 and 2021 was the responsibility of a separate cabinet-level post, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People. In March 2023, the post became Minister for Local Government Empowering and Planning under the Yousaf government.
In May 2024, the responsibilities were absorbed under the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance's portfolio under the leadership of John Swinney.{{Cite web |title=Minister for Public Finance |url=https://www.gov.scot/about/who-runs-government/cabinet-and-ministers/minister-for-public-finance/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.gov.scot |language=en}}
List of office holders
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=Minister for Local Government and Planning=
=Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment=
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|21 November 2014
|18 May 2016
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=Minister for Local Government and Housing=
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|18 May 2016
|27 June 2018
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=Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning=
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| {{party color cell|Scottish National Party}}
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|27 June 2018
|20 May 2021
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=Minister for Social Security and Local Government=
= Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning =
References
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External links
- [http://www.gov.scot/About/People/Ministers The Scottish Cabinet] on Scottish Government website
- [https://beta.gov.scot/about/who-runs-government/cabinet-and-ministers/minister-local-government-housing-planning/ Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning] on Scottish Government website
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Category:Local government in Scotland
Category:Town and country planning in Scotland
Category:Community empowerment
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