AN EIGHT-TIME Olympic medallist, the First Minister and Alastair Campbell have been confirmed among the speakers and panellists at a major local democracy conference taking place in St Andrews this week.
COSLA has today (Monday 10 November 2025) confirmed the full programme and headline speakers for this year’s COSLA Annual Conference & Exhibition, sponsored by CCLA, taking place in St Andrews on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 November 2025.
Marking COSLA’s 50th anniversary, the 2025 conference will bring together leaders from across Scottish Local Government, national and international partners, and experts from civil society, business, academia and sport.
The theme for this year’s conference is “The Future of Localism”, exploring how local decision-making and community-driven approaches can support stronger, fairer outcomes for people and places across Scotland.
COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, will open the event with her Presidential Address, reflecting on 50 years of COSLA and looking to the year ahead.
This year’s programme features a wide range of plenary sessions, keynote speeches, panel discussions and fringe events. Highlights include:
- Scotland on the World Stage – considering how major sporting events can deliver wider benefits for communities across Scotland, featuring Olympic champion Duncan Scott OBE, David Duke MBE of Street Soccer and sector leaders from sport, health and government.
- Perspective from Europe – with Councillor Elisabet Babic, CPMR North Sea Commission President.
- Online Life, Localism and Future Generations – examining the challenges and opportunities of online life for young people, featuring leading voices from policy, academia and the youth sector.
- A keynote address from Alastair Campbell, journalist, author and co-host of The Rest is Politics podcast.
- Political party reflections on COSLA’s Manifesto ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.
- An address by the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney MSP.
- An address by the Secretary of State for Scotland, Douglas Alexander MP.
Across the two-day programme, sessions will explore how councils and partners can strengthen community cohesion; support health, wellbeing and population needs; and prepare for the opportunities and challenges ahead.
A diverse fringe programme will create space for interactive discussion and insight, covering care reform, strategic energy planning, empty homes, economic wellbeing and climate leadership.
The event will once again host the COSLA Excellence Awards Ceremony, recognising innovation and high-quality service delivery across Local Government in Scotland.
Commenting ahead of the Conference, Councillor Shona Morrison said:
“For half a century COSLA has championed the voice of Local Government in Scotland. Our 2025 Conference comes at a critical time — as we look ahead to the upcoming Scottish Parliament election, and as communities continue to face significant pressures.
“Localism must be at the heart of how we respond. Over these two days, we will reflect on where we’ve come from, consider what lies ahead, and explore together how we can deliver the best outcomes for our people and places.”
The COSLA Annual Conference and Exhibition is one of Scotland’s most significant political and policy events of the year, bringing together partners from across public services, business and communities to consider how best to deliver locally-led, person-centred services.
Further information
A full conference programme is linked here.
Read the COSLA Manifesto ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament election here.
10th November 2025
