COSLA isn't working anymore
One thing that's becoming clear during this course of this Scottish election campaign - is that no one holds local government in very high esteem anymore.
The main parties are all committed to a council tax freeze - some for longer that others - but the $64,000 question is - 'If councils don't set their own council tax rate, then what are they really for?'.
So by extension what's the point in an expensive - publicly funded - 'talking shop' like COSLA - which nobody appears to be listening to anyway.
SNP and Labour are both committed to a single national police force - and Labour is committed to a new 'national' care service which would dilute the role of local councils in this area.
Support is also growing for removing education and teaching services from council control - with schools having a more direct relationship with the Scottish government - perhaps by creating new, strategic education authorities.
The main public sector unions - Unison, Unite and GMB - have traditionally placed great emphasis on 'local democracy' and local decision-making.
But they appear to have been muzzled during the election campaign - as often happens - behind the scenes the Labour high command tells union bosses not to rock the boat.
And as they are all loyal Labour supporters - that's exactly what they do - instead of speaking up for what they believe is right.
So local government is being squeezed and the present leadership seems unable to articulate a coherent case - about the benefits of local decision-making.
Maybe that's because so many of them have been there for so long - they have become part of the establishment - and simply lack credibility these days.
Maybe it's because so many of them are Labour hacks and jobsworths - that they can't build a strong cross-party alliance - capable of connecting with the wider public.
Or maybe it's because the voters have switched off - in the absence of big political figures who can stand up for their local communities.
Who knows, but one thing's for sure - 'COSLA isn't working anymore'.
The main parties are all committed to a council tax freeze - some for longer that others - but the $64,000 question is - 'If councils don't set their own council tax rate, then what are they really for?'.
So by extension what's the point in an expensive - publicly funded - 'talking shop' like COSLA - which nobody appears to be listening to anyway.
SNP and Labour are both committed to a single national police force - and Labour is committed to a new 'national' care service which would dilute the role of local councils in this area.
Support is also growing for removing education and teaching services from council control - with schools having a more direct relationship with the Scottish government - perhaps by creating new, strategic education authorities.
The main public sector unions - Unison, Unite and GMB - have traditionally placed great emphasis on 'local democracy' and local decision-making.
But they appear to have been muzzled during the election campaign - as often happens - behind the scenes the Labour high command tells union bosses not to rock the boat.
And as they are all loyal Labour supporters - that's exactly what they do - instead of speaking up for what they believe is right.
So local government is being squeezed and the present leadership seems unable to articulate a coherent case - about the benefits of local decision-making.
Maybe that's because so many of them have been there for so long - they have become part of the establishment - and simply lack credibility these days.
Maybe it's because so many of them are Labour hacks and jobsworths - that they can't build a strong cross-party alliance - capable of connecting with the wider public.
Or maybe it's because the voters have switched off - in the absence of big political figures who can stand up for their local communities.
Who knows, but one thing's for sure - 'COSLA isn't working anymore'.
