Dr O’Hagan appointed to Commission on Local Tax Reform

Dr O’Hagan appointed to Commission on Local Tax Reform

25 February 2015

Dr Angela O’Hagan, Research Fellow in GCU’s Institute for Society and Social Justice Research and Research Associate with the Women in Scotland’s Economy Research Centre, has been appointed to the Commission on Local Tax Reform.

The Commission of eleven representatives from across the political landscape, finance, law and advice sectors will examine alternatives to the current council tax to fund local government services.

Dr O’Hagan was invited to become a commissioner to provide analysis from a gender and equalities public policy perspective based on her work as Convenor of the Scottish Women’s Budget Group and her research into gender budget analysis in Scotland and internationally.

“Local services are central to the lives of many people. Making sure that services are properly resourced and service users and tax payers have a say in how local government is financed and held accountable is essential. The Commission has a big job to do. My part in it is to make the arguments for gender equality and robust equality assessment of the process and the proposals coming out of the Commission,” said Dr O’Hagan.

The Commission will be co-chaired by Local Government Minister Marco Biagi and President of COSLA Councillor David O’Neill.

The independent Commission will report to the Scottish Government in the autumn following evidence sessions from experts in local government finance and public meetings across Scotland.