Community Councils Short-Life Working Group
As part of ongoing engagement with stakeholders with an interest in strengthening and developing Community Councils across Scotland, the Scottish Government has established a short-life working group to look at ways to build the resilience and capacity of Community Councils, in order to strengthen their role as voices for their communities.
The working group will bring together a range of people from across Scotland with direct Community Council involvement to share their knowledge and experience. It is anticipated that the working group will run until summer 2012, and will then prepare a report of its findings.
Share your views and ideas
If you would like to share your views or ideas with the working group on any aspect of its remit (outlined below), or share examples of good practice or community action from your local area, then please send these in writing to: Community Councils Working Group Secretariat, Scottish Government, 3J-North, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, EH6 6QQ, or by e-mail to CommunityCouncils@scotland.gsi.gov.uk. To allow time for the working group to explore the views received, responses are invited up to 31 January 2012 and should be no longer than two A4 pages in length. Key points, ideas and examples from submissions receeived will be fed into the working group's discussions.
Membership
Jenny Brough (*Chair - Scottish Government)
Alex Hewetson (COSLA nominated representative for Community Councils)
Sheila Garson (Shapinsay Community Council, Orkney Islands Council)
Keith Giblett (Queensferry & District Community Council, City of Edinburgh Council)
Logan Inglis (Reston & Auchencrow Community Council, Scottish Borders Council)
Stephanie Simpson (Lambhill & District Community Council, Glasgow City Council)
Jim Whyte (Irvine Community Council, North Ayrshire Council)
Sheila Armstrong (Dumfries & Galloway Council)
Lesley Baillie (Clackmannanshire Council)
Helen Geddes (Stirling Council)
Charles Reppke (Argyll & Bute Council)
Maureen Stephen (Aberdeenshire Council)
*The first meeting of the group on 7 December 2011 was chaired by Derek Mackay MSP, Minister Designate for Local Government and Planning, whose ministerial portfolio will cover Community Councils.
Remit
The agreed remit of the working group will be to look at ways to build the resilience and capacity of Community Councils, in order to strengthen their role and relevance as voices for their communities.
Within this remit, the working group will focus its activity around five specific aims:
- Supporting Community Councils to play an active role in their communities (including exploration of current legislative status) and to work together to share experience and good practice;
- Strengthening the role of Community Council Liaison Officers in supporting Community Councils, including in the provision of training and development;
- Increasing diversity of representation on Community Councils (including exploration of wider public perception and awareness of Community Councils);
- Strengthening the link between Community Councils and Community Planning: and,
- Role of Community Councils in project/asset management and service provision.
Meetings
The agenda and papers will be made available shortly after each meeting, and minutes will be made available once agreed by the working group.
Meeting of 7 December 2011
Agenda
Paper CCWG 1.1 - Working Group remit and membership
Paper CCWG 1.2 - Secretariat and reporting arragements
Paper CCWG 1.3 - Working principles
Minutes - Agreed Minutes of the meeting of 7 December 2011
Meeting of 24 January 2012
Agenda
There were no additional papers at this meeting