What steps it is taking to increase the number of women in local authority chief executive posts.

Local authorities are statutory bodieswith statutory responsibilities, responsible for running their own affairs. Undersection 64 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, they are empowered to appointsuch staff as in necessary for the proper discharge of their functions and on suchterms and conditions as they think fit. The appointment of staff is entirely a matterfor individual local authorities and in doing so it is up to them to ensure theycomply with all employment legislation.
The gender balance of chief executives in local authorities isa matter for those local authorities and they will need to examine their workingpractices in this regard under the gender equality duty which comes into force inApril 2007. However, the Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 introduced a dutyof best value for all local authorities. The duty has 10 characteristics, one ofwhich is equal opportunities. The statutory guidance states that a local authoritywhich secures best value will be able to demonstrate a culture which encouragesboth equal opportunities and the observance of the equal opportunities requirements.This means (amongst other things) that the encouragement of equal opportunitiesand meeting the equal opportunities requirements are reflected in the authority’sobjectives and highlighted in all plans at corporate and service level, and thatemployment policies are fully in line with their commitment to equal opportunitiesand training is in place to support that commitment.