Local Authorities Guide: Angus Council

The following article is a Q&A with Independent George Meechan, leader of Angus Council.

The Public Sector Reform strategy is a key mission of the Scottish Government, what does that mean for you and your council?

Angus Council has a well established change programme that focuses on enhancing public service delivery while saving money. The three pillars highlighted in the PSR strategy - prevention, joined-up services, and efficient services - are crucial drivers of our transformation efforts, which are grounded in local evidence and priorities. This alignment with the national strategy allows us to address our community’s unique needs and challenges effectively.

Are there particular innovative or collaborative ways of working that you can point to in your own council as examples of how you can do more with less?

In 2022, we launched the Angus Prevention and Proactive Care Programme (APPCP), a collaborative effort involving local partners to drive long-term behavioural changes for better public health and to address health inequalities in Angus. Our programme focuses on evidence-based, non-medical interventions like physical activity.  The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland commended our leadership and programme during a visit in April 2025. Our efforts were also highlighted in the chief medical officer’s annual report for 2024-2025, showcasing how preventative care can lead to meaningful outcomes and resource optimisation.

AI is held up as a potential game changer in terms of public service delivery but on the ground, what contribution is digital technology making to your own approach?

Digital technology plays a significant role in our strategy to enhance service delivery. We’ve recently introduced Angus, our new AI chatbot assistant, designed to respond to customer queries efficiently. Angus can scan nearly 3,000 pages of our website to provide immediate answers to questions. We have also implemented a specialised process for reporting missed bin collections within the chatbot, addressing one of the most common issues people contact our centre about. This initiative is part of our broader plan to encourage digital channel usage, making our contact centre available for more urgent and complex needs.

What counts as a good day in the office?

A good day is when my inbox isn’t overflowing with issues, meetings run on time, and I end the day feeling like I’ve accomplished something meaningful.

What keeps you awake at night?

The primary concern is the budget limitations faced by local government and the challenge of aligning service delivery with public expectations.

How do you describe what you do as council leader to a stranger?

I focus on guiding our efforts to improve service delivery, engage with our community, and ensure that we address the diverse needs of our residents effectively and responsibly.

This article appears in Holyrood's Local Authorities Guide 2026.