MORE than half of Scots believe councils are operated for the interests of those who run them and not local people, a new report has claimed.

A poll for the Electoral Reform Society has found that 76 per cent of Scots feel they have little or no influence on council spending and services, prompting concerns over democracy at a localised level.

However, the survey also found that when told the numbers of councillors per head of population in Scotland the vast majority of respondents supported the idea of greater local representation.

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The findings come as SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she would "not rule anything out" when questioned on whether she would look at cutting the number of councils in Scotland as part of a planned review, Nicola Sturgeon said she would "not rule anything out".

Referencing the new social and health care partnerships Ms Sturgeon said it was vital that existing organisational structures "don't get in the way of substantive changes".

In the survey carried out by leading pollsters BMG earlier this month, 51 per cent of respondents said their council was operated for those who run it, while just over a quarter, 26 per cent, said they believed local authorities were run in the interests of local people.

Willie Sullivan, Scottish director of Electoral Reform Society, said the poll suggested "a basic promise of democracy...rings hollow at a local level" and that this threatened to undermine the political system.

He said: "Scottish local government suffers from many of the ailments that affect democratic bodies across the developed world; institutions which were designed for a different time and a different society.

"Technology has brought about rapid social and cultural shifts in Scotland over the last 20 years, and many people no longer trust top-down hierarchies to look after their interests."

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Elsewhere the poll found just a quarter of respondents believed their council performed well delivering services, yet this was higher than the 16 per cent who claimed they did a poor job.

Exactly half said their council did an average job.

But it found 78 per cent of Scots wanted more local councillors, with 45 per cent willing to give half a day a month or more to help with council decision making and 24 per cent prepared to give a day or more.

Just 18 per cent were too busy and only 14 per cent said they to give up their free time.

Mr Sullivan added: "Contrary to the ‘anti-politics’ narrative, when Scots are told the numbers of councillors per head of population in Scotland, one per 4329, they think they need more local representation.

"First we need to redesign and remake our local democracy, going way beyond old ideas of local government. And secondly citizens have to be fully involved in that redesign and then fully involved in running their own communities. That is why we think a citizen-led convention on local democracy should be set up as a partner project between local government, central government all relevant community and civil bodies, and citizens themselves."

Last month the body representing Scottish local councils warned that inequalities in Scotland “could start to overtake some third world countries” unless action is taken to protect public services.

A spokesman for Cosla said: "Our strong and long held view is that a more empowered representative democracy through local government and a strong participatory democracy involving citizens should sit hand in hand to deliver better outcome for our communities.

"The Cosla President has already met with the ERS as part of our 'choose local' campaign and is happy to continue to work with them in what we both obviously feel is a vital area of public life in Scotland."