This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Community planning conference
11/03/2003
A draft progress report was tabled at the Community Planning Task Force Conference today.
Finance and Public Services Minister Andy Kerr said that those involved in the delivery of local services were working hand in hand with local communities to deliver a shared vision to ensure services are built around the people who use them.
The conference was organised to allow a wide range of agencies and organisations to hear about the work of the task force, to share ideas and to gain feedback on its findings and their future development. A final report will be published shortly.
Community Planning provides a framework for shaping public services around the needs of the people who use them. The Local Government in Scotland Act 2003 and associated guidance comes into force on April 1.
Mr Kerr said:
"Community Planning is a genuine priority for the Executive. The Local Government in Scotland Act will give new impetus to the initiative and put in place a framework to ensure the delivery of customer-focused services, on a more consistent basis across Scotland.
"We have signalled our commitment to Community Planning - not only by bringing forward this important piece of legislation, but also by placing a duty on Ministers to promote and encourage Community Planning.
"It is clear from this draft report that significant progress is being made in delivering Community Planning in Scotland, but there is room for improvement in areas such as capacity building, joining-up policies and identifying priorities and in mainstreaming awareness of Community Planning within organisations. I look forward to reading the final report from the Task Force.
"I believe there is always room for improvement and we must always be aspiring to deliver better public services that are focused on the needs of the customer."
The Community Planning Task Force was set up by Ministers in March 2001 to provide independent and authoritative advice on community planning issues.
Members of the Community Planning Task Force
Willie Rae, Chair (from October 1, 2002), Chief Constable, Strathclyde Police
(Former Chair - Professor Alice Brown, up to September 30, 2002 - now Scottish Public Services Ombudsman)
Samantha Barber, Chief Executive, Scottish Business in the Community
Stuart Black, Director of Strengthening Communities, Highlands and Island Enterprise
Ann Clark, Head of Policy, Highland Council
Tom Divers, Chief Executive, Greater Glasgow Health Board
Leslie Evans, Head of Local Government Division, Scottish Executive
David Fletcher, Partnership Manager, Greater Easterhouse Partnership
Caroline Gardner, Deputy Auditor General, Audit Scotland
Jon Harris, Director of Policy and Legislation, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Chris Huxham, Director of Research, Strathclyde University Business School
Lynne Main, Voluntary Worker, Wester Hailes Representative Council
Stephen Maxwell, Assistant Director Development, Scottish Council for Voluntary organisations
Ros Micklem, Principal, Cardonald College
Stuart Nichol, former Regional Managing Director, Scottish Homes, now with Fife Council
Douglas Paterson, Chief Executive, Aberdeen City Council
David Pigott, Chief Executive, Lothian Primary NHS Trust
Selma Raham, former Director, Fife Racial Equality Council, now with Children in Scotland.
Martyn Rendle, Business Director, Communities Scotland.
Douglas Sinclair, Chief Executive, Fife Council
John Thomson, Director of Strategy, Scottish Natural Heritage
Charlie Woods, Senior Director, Scottish Enterprise.