1. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14

2. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14 Angus Hardie Director of Scottish Rural Action

3. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14 Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy Cllr David O’Neill

4. Strengthening Local Democracy in Scotland Cllr David O’Neill Chair of the Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy President of COSLA www.localdemocracy.info @localcommission commission@localdemocracy.info

5. It is communities that empower governments, not governments that empower people

6. 50 years of centralisation has not tackled the biggest problems that Scotland faces For a country with Scotland’s relative wealth and strength, today’s inequalities are intolerable Improving outcomes locally requires a radical new approach to how we do democracy The Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy

7. Scotland and Europe…

8. Voter turnout in local elections

9. Just for Comparison Norway: 19 counties and 434 municipalities (population 4,676,305) Finland: 20 regions and 342 municipalities (population 5,255,068) Denmark: 98 municipalities and 5 regions (population 5,515,575)

10. 7 Principles for a Stronger Democracy SovereigntySubsidiarity Transparenc y Participation Spheres not tiers of governance Interdepend ency Wellbeing

11. www.localdemocracy.info @localcommission Read our report and get involved

12. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14 Future of the Scottish Rural Parliament Willy Roe & Vanessa Halhead

13. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14 Ideas, to policy, to delivery Peter Peacock

14. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14 Mr Michael Russell Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

15. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14 John Hutchison Chair of Scottish Rural Action

16. Pàrlamaid Dhùthchail na h-Alba #ScotRP14 www.scottishruralparliament.org.uk T @ScotRuralParl F Scottish Rural Parliament