COSLA

Today, COSLA Health & Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly - Motherwell West, the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care, and members of the National Dementia Lived Experience Panel launched the Rethink Dementia Campaign.

Read more: https://cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/rethink-dementia-campaign-launch

COSLA has made a new, significantly improved and above-inflation offer to the Scottish teaching workforce.

Read more from our Spokesperson Cllr Katie Hagmann https://bit.ly/3XrMdpP

COSLA's email bulletin for Elected Members has been published! In the latest issue:

🟣COSLA Councillor Webinars
🟣Visitor Levy op-ed in Public Sector Executive
🟣Programme for the COSLA Conference & Exhibition
..& much more!

Read it here ➡️https://mailchi.mp/cosla/cosla-emb-30th-august-2024

GMB members have voted to accept the latest COSLA pay offer for the Scottish Joint Council (SJC) Workforce.

Read the full comment from our Spokesperson, Cllr Katie Hagmann: https://cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/gmb-members-accept-cosla-pay-offer

COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Cllr Katie Hagmann, recently penned an op-ed in Public Sector Executive on the recently passed Visitor Levy Bill and how it can empower our local communities.

Read Cllr Hagmann's piece:

Public Sector Executive August / September 2024 Page 46 August / September 2024 Finance Cllr Katie Hagmann – Resources Spokesperson, COSLA COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT THROUGH TOURISM Click here for reader view

The first meeting of the Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy Leadership Board, co-chaired by COSLA Spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly - Motherwell West & Minister Maree Todd MSP, took place on Tuesday 27th August. We look forward to continuing work to progress shared priorities for mental health & wellbeing.

COSLA's email bulletin for Elected Members has been published!

In the latest issue:

🟣Speakers announced for COSLA Conference 2024
🟣Launch of New Scots Delivery Plan
🟣Festival of Politics event..& much more!

🔗https://mailchi.mp/cosla/cosla-emb-23rd-august-2024

COSLA's email bulletin for Elected Members has been published!

In the latest issue:

🟣Latest pay negotiations updates
🟣Speakers announced for COSLA Conference 2024
🟣Launch of Equally Safe Delivery Plan..& much more!

🔗https://mailchi.mp/cosla/cosla-emb-16th-august-2024

Closer working between police and health professionals is delivering better service for the public while reducing officer attendance at hospital emergency departments in Lanarkshire.

A collaborative approach between Police Scotland’s Lanarkshire (Q) Division and NHS Lanarkshire to enable 24/7 triage with a Psychiatric Liaison Nurse (PLN) saw potential police attendances at emergency departments reduced by over 80 per cent.

The work was highlighted during a Scottish Police Authority visit to Motherwell Police Station on Tuesday, 13 August, as part of work to ensure people get the compassion, help and support they need and deserve from those best able to provide it.

Chief Superintendent Stevie Dolan, Lanarkshire Divisional Commander, said: “We are grateful to colleagues at NHS Lanarkshire who have made this triage service available.

“It means that those who understandably turn to the police can be put in touch with experts who can give them the help they need and deserve.

“NHS Lanarkshire’s commitment and our closer working with health colleagues has had a massive impact on reducing our attendance at hospital emergency departments – meaning officers are able to tackle threat, harm and risk and prevent crime.”

NHS Lanarkshire’s Service Manager for Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Suzie Cochrane said: “The investment in this approach is delivering better care for patients and reducing demand on emergency departments. We are grateful to Police Scotland for their partnership.”

In 2023 the Community Triage Service in Lanarkshire was used on almost 2000 occasions. This allowed patients to be triaged over the phone and remain at home or access an appointment for a mental health assessment within an hour.

Importantly, in the vast majority of calls officers did not attend emergency departments, with potential officer attendance reduced by over 80%.

Police Scotland’s Chief Constable Jo Farrell has said policing’s involvement in mental health incidents and supporting vulnerable people is beyond where policing should be and has established a mental health taskforce to co-ordinate work to better balance policing’s involvement.

Read more ➡ https://orlo.uk/RbQqR

Next steps to address violence against women and girls have been unveiled.

The Equally Safe Delivery Plan – developed in partnership between COSLA and The Scottish Government - will support partners to prevent abuse against women and girls across Scotland.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/46JZKMu

COSLA has welcomed news that strikes have been suspended as Unite, GMB and Unison members will be given the opportunity to have their say on the latest pay offer from COSLA.

Hear more from our Resources Spokesperson, Cllr Katie Hagmann➡️https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/cosla-urges-workforce-to-vote-in-favour-of-offer

Following a special meeting of Council Leaders this morning to discuss Local Government Pay, COSLA has this afternoon made a significantly improved formal offer to the trade unions

Read more➡️https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/new-pay-offer-to-trade-unions

After a week of intense discussions between COSLA and Scottish Government, and with our Trade Unions, Council Leaders will meet this morning to consider the options for making a revised pay offer

Read more ➡️https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/cosla-statement-in-relation-to-pay-negotiations

COSLA Children & Young Person Spokesperson Councillor Tony Buchanan has congratulated all young people across Scotland receiving SQA results today 👇

https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/sqa-exam-results

COSLA policy boards have resumed after summer recess with a meeting of the Health and Social Care Board. As part of a varied agenda, members heard from Minister for Public Health and Women's Health, Jenni Minto, and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

More from Board Chair, Councillor Paul Kelly - Motherwell West⬇️

COSLA's email bulletin for Elected Members has been published!

In the latest issue:

🟣Speakers announced for COSLA Conference 2024
🟣Our next free Elected Member webinar
🟣Latest pay negotiations updates..& much more!

🔗https://mailchi.mp/cosla/cosla-emb-2nd-august-2024

A joint meeting took place yesterday (Tuesday 30th July) between COSLA, Trade Unions and Scottish Government.

Full statement from COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Cllr Katie Hagmann➡️ https://www.cosla.gov.uk/joint-meeting-between-cosla-and-trade-unions-with-scottish-government

15 projects from across Scotland have been named finalists for the 2024 COSLA Excellence Awards - celebrating the very best of Scottish Local Government.

Read the full list and find out more 🔗 https://bit.ly/4d0D5ho

COSLA's Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly - Motherwell West, has highlighted the need for collective action & sustainable funding to tackle key health & social care challenges. This follows a report on Scotland's Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) published today by the Accounts Commission.

Full comment➡️ https://bit.ly/46mob2h

Council leaders reconvened from recess yesterday (24th July) for a special COSLA meeting to discuss the ongoing pay negotiations with Scottish Joint Council (SJC) Unions.

Read more from COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann ➡️https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/council-leaders-meet-to-discuss-ongoing-pay-negotiations

Public Health Scotland have appointed a new board member, Cllr Nairn McDonald, jointly sponsored by COSLA & The Scottish Government.

Read more in our joint release, with comment from COSLA President Councillor Shona Morrison Fochabers and Lhanbryde➡️https://bit.ly/4fjfTfH

COSLA has welcomed the recently published independent review of Community Learning and Development services in Scotland.

Read more with joint comment from COSLA Children & Young People Spokesperson, Councillor Tony Buchanan, and COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, Councillor Maureen Chalmers ➡️ https://bit.ly/3Lx5Zts

COSLA's email bulletin for Elected Members has been published!

In the latest issue:

🟣COSLA President writes to new Prime Minister
🟣UN events in New York
🟣UNCRC Incorporation..& much more!

🔗https://mailchi.mp/cosla/cosla-emb-19th-july-2024

COSLA has made a revised strong pay offer to trade unions, offering a 3.2% uplift for the Scottish Joint Council workforce.

Read more with comment from COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Cllr Katie Hagmann: www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/Competitive-New-Pay-Offer-For-Scotlands-Council-Workforce

COSLA has today welcomed the incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into law in Scotland.

Read more from our Children and Young People Spokesperson, Councillor Tony Buchanan: https://bit.ly/3zHb7IK

A new delivery plan will help refugees and people seeking asylum to access services, employment and understand their rights.

Developed in partnership with The Scottish Government and Scottish Refugee Council it sets out a range of actions to help and communities to integrate.

Read more: https://bit.ly/3LdTHWN

Good luck to COSLA's Environment and Economy Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, who is attending UN events on behalf of CEMR this week at UN Headquarters in New York. Representing COSLA and Scottish Local Government at this global level for the very first time!

COSLA’s President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has written to the new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer and the Secretary of State for Scotland, Mr Ian Murray, following the announcement of the results of the UK 2024 General Election.

Read more: https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/uk-general-election-cosla-president-writes-to-new-prime-minister

COSLA has commented following a response to the recommendations of the SLARC response published by Scottish Government last week.

More from COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison Fochabers and Lhanbryde, can be read here: https://www.cosla.gov.uk/news/2024/scottish-government-responds-to-slarc-report-recommendations