▁the ▁Scottish ▁Executive ' s ▁response ▁to ▁the ▁recommend ations ▁of ▁the ▁Mc Int osh ▁Commission ▁into ▁the ▁future ▁of ▁local ▁government ▁in ▁Scotland , ▁introdu cing ▁a ▁package ▁of ▁measures ▁for ▁local ▁government ▁including ▁giving ▁local ▁authorities ▁the ▁lead ▁role ▁in ▁developing ▁Community ▁Pl anning , ▁creating ▁a ▁formal ▁Power ▁of ▁Community ▁In iti ative ▁( l ater ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁power ▁of ▁well ▁being ) ▁and ▁establish ing ▁the ▁Ren ew ing ▁Local ▁Dem ocracy ▁( K er ley ) ▁Working ▁Party ▁on ▁elect oral ▁systems . ▁Building ▁on ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁the ▁Best ▁Value ▁Task force , ▁she ▁also ▁announced ▁plans ▁for ▁a ▁stat ut ory ▁duty ▁to ▁secure ▁Best ▁Value ▁in ▁local ▁government ▁services . ▁ ▁She ▁also ▁published ▁the ▁first ▁Equ ality ▁Stat ement ▁to ▁Parliament , ▁established ▁the ▁Executive ' s ▁Equ al ities ▁Unit , ▁announced ▁the ▁first ▁Scottish - wide ▁fund ▁to ▁tack le ▁violence ▁against ▁women ▁– ▁the ▁Dom estic ▁Ab use ▁Service ▁Development ▁Fund ▁– ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁national ▁loan ▁fund , ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁a ▁new ▁organisation ▁– ▁Social ▁In vest ment ▁Scotland ▁– ▁to ▁invest ▁in ▁emer ging ▁social ▁enter pr ises ▁and ▁" make ▁it ▁easier ▁for ▁the ▁volunt ary ▁sector ▁to ▁emer ge ▁as ▁an ▁effective ▁third ▁force , ▁alongside ▁the ▁traditional ▁public ▁and ▁private ▁se ctors ". ▁ ▁As ▁Enter prise ▁Minister ▁Alexander ▁launched ▁Sm art , ▁Success ful ▁Scotland , ▁a ▁widely ▁wel com ed ▁new ▁economic ▁strategy ▁for ▁Scotland ▁supporting ▁high - sk ill ,