Inverclyde Council is poised to serve a year's notice to quit Scottish national local government umbrella body Cosla – the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities - it has emerged.

The decision to cede from the membership body as of April 2015 was made yesterday as part of Inverclyde's budget announcement.

Leaving Cosla would save the authority £60,000 annual membership fees.

However, the council has left the door open to rescind its intention to leave Cosla, subject to a constitutional review that will report in June.

‘If this results in a significant transfer of power from the leaders' group to the convention, this would seriously reduce the influence of this council and lead us to question the value to Inverclyde of our continuing membership of Cosla,' said Cllr Stephen McCabe.

‘Depending on the outcome of the Cosla review, we reserve the right to withdraw our notice to terminate our membership,' Mr McCabe added.