Local Authorities Guide: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles)

The following is a Q&A with Independent Paul Steele, leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar council.

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

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar has been supportive of public sector reform for several years and has been heavily involved in discussions with the Scottish Government on this matter. For Comhairle nan Eilean Siar public sector reform should focus on the single authority model work that we’ve been progressing. There are potentially massive benefits for our island communities if we can make the most of the public funding we receive through a place-based approach. We thought it was a good thing to do in its own right, but in the context of real terms budget cuts and falling employee numbers it is almost an imperative that we get it done because if not that, then what?

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?

The example I always come back to is e-Sgoil, an innovative solution to a problem exacerbated by workforce and geographic issues. Technology being used to improve outcomes and maintain/improve on a service. Of course, technology is always developing and while AI and digital solutions are great there is always a risk of having too much reliance on them. We suffered greatly because of a major cyber-attack in 2023. We were able to continue delivering services thanks to employee knowledge and experience. When systems fail it is expertise not technology that is the most valuable asset.

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?

As the first Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar based in Uist, a long drive and a ferry away from the comhairle’s headquarters, digital technology is vital to my everyday work. While I still travel a lot, joining meetings online from home is a game changer. Being able to access from home cuts down a lot on my travel requirements, reducing cost and allowing me to stay connected and maintain a work/life balance.

What counts as a good day in the office?

Since I became leader of the comhairle our budget settlements have left us with no options but to consistently reduce services and increase charges. So, for me, a good day in the office is a day when we see progress towards or receive the kind of real funding that can provide significant benefit to the people of the Western Isles. We have worked hard with our colleagues in Orkney and Shetland to make the case for the Islands Accelerator Model which should bring significant improvements to the infrastructure of our island communities. It’ll be a better day in the office when we see the fruits of those labours but a good day is when we move things forward.

What keeps you awake at night?

Not much as I’m quite relaxed in general but the medium-term financial projections, and the effect it could have on our communities, services, and workforce, should they come to pass, is a real concern.

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

Firstly, I would check if they were an alien asking that type of question. I would say that council leaders, especially in an independent council, need to facilitate ways for their fellow elected members to be involved in developing policies and service priorities that meet the needs of the people who elected them. I have a duty to represent my constituency and the comhairle, on a regional and national level that means engaging in political forums where it’s crucial that strategic and financial decisions are influenced and shaped in a way that benefits the people of the Western Isles. A lot of the role is about working with partners and stakeholders from community councils and local third sector groups through to Scottish and UK governments to work towards the best possible outcomes. The short answer is, I go to a lot of meetings to try to get more money and spend it in a way we can all get behind.

This article appears in Holyrood's Local Authorities 2026.