People across Scotland have been invited to share their views on plans to merge the country's councils, with a consultation running until December 11.
First Minister John Swinney has pledged to reduce the number of NHS health boards to just two and is also committed to cutting the country's 32 local authorities and replacing them with around 10 regional bodies, despite neither policy being included in the SNP's election manifesto.
The plans have been repeatedly attacked for lacking detail and are already beginning to attract opposition in suburban areas, where locals may be unwilling to join up with larger cities.
Consultation on the future of local government
The shake-up of local government comes ahead of council elections scheduled for next May, where Scots will be asked to vote for local authorities that may be abolished soon after.
Scottish Labour has previously accused Swinney of setting out to reorganise the country's councils and NHS boards "without a clear purpose, or a plan or a process".
Hannah Mary Goodlad, the public finance minister, said today the SNP Government would "carefully consider all the views".
The MSP added: "Reforming councils and local government is about making services work better for the people of Scotland and empowering communities, pushing power out and across the country and decision-making as local as possible."
Public views sought on services and priorities
Goodlad said that over the last two months there have been constructive discussions with a range of organisations, including councils and unions, and the government now wants to hear more on what communities across Scotland think, not least their experiences of council services and their priorities.
"Alongside the insights and perspectives already shared, public views will help inform the next phase of this important work on the future of local governance," she said.
The consultation comes as the SNP Government faces plugging a £5 billion blackhole in the public finances by 2030. Ministers have so far been unable to say how public sector jobs will be lost as a result of the decision to slash health board numbers and local authorities.
Cosla calls for rethink
Cosla, which represents all 32 local authorities, has previously called for the Scottish Government to "rethink" its proposals.
The umbrella organisation said plans should start with the 32 existing councils, building in better "regional collaboration and shared capacity".
They said that would involve services being joined up across wider areas "without automatically assuming a new regional authority is needed". There could be "voluntary consolidation of councils" where that is supported locally, but only "subject to democratic agreement".
