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Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

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Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) is the national association of Scottish councils and acts as an employers' association for its 32 member authorities.

Formed in 1975, COSLA exists to promote and protect the interests of the country's councils by providing a forum for discussion of matters of common concern. COSLA ascertains the views of member councils and communicates these to central government, other bodies and the public.

It is the successor to the Convention of Royal Burghs, an organisation which dated back to the 12th century, but was dissolved after the local government changes of the 1970s.

In 2015, four Labour-run local authorities (Aberdeen City Council, Glasgow City Council, Renfrewshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council) left COSLA to form a new organisation, the Scottish Local Government Partnership. They all rejoined in 2017.

COSLA's headquarters are located at Verity House, Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh. Membership consists of all 32 councils in Scotland.

COSLA employs around 130 members of staff across its policy teams. COSLA's staff is led by its chief executive, Jane O'Donnell, supported by a Director for Place Policy, James Fowlie, Director of People Policy, Nicola Dickie and Director of Membership and Resources, John Wood.

Each of the teams is led by a chief officer. Collectively, they support COSLA's spokespeople and presidential team, and COSLA's decision making structures.

The political leadership of COSLA consists of a president, a vice-president, and five spokespersons, all of whom are councillors from the main political parties and independents.

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