Peter Peacock Ideas, to policy, to action

Long term Ageing population Climate change Technology advances Medium term Public spending constraint/decline Growing distrust in big solutions Public sector reform Scotland specific Scottish Government Purpose Increased sustainable economic performance

Further devolution (Smith Commission) New First Minister New Opposition Leader New Tax and Borrowing Powers – already agreed UK Election

Government Strategic Objectives: Wealthier and Fairer Healthier Safer and Stronger Smarter Greener

Built around business, employment children and families healthier lives and inequalities safer communities sustainable, resilient communities reduced environmental impact fairness and inclusion older people and independent living improving public services Feed into Single Outcome Agreements with Local Authorities

Christie Commission CoSLA Commission on Strengthening Local democracy OECD Scottish Rural Policy Review Land Reform Review Group All emphasising …. greater community participation in service design and delivery subsidiarity in power and decision making

New National Planning Framework New Scottish Planning Guidance Land Use Strategy 2 New Rural Development Programme New Leader Programme Funds galore! Digital Future Strategy (Community Broadband) Departmental Policy churn

Land Reform Bill (by 2016) Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill

Statutory National Outcomes Stronger Community Planning Partnerships Community participation rights New community rights to buy land New community rights to seek public asset transfer Common Good Allotments

Obvious theme of engaging & empowering communities Monitoring of National Outcomes No specific rural outcomes

Peter Peacock Ideas, to policy, to action

Empowered Connected Sustainable

Stronger local democratic structures Be heard and influence Real power Young people included Visioning & co-designing local services Access to assets Land and buildings Renewables benefits Strong support services for communities Rural Parliament influencing big policy

Broadband and mobile Road/Rail/Ferry/Air/Bus – Infrastructure Integrated timetables Fare discount schemes Fuel prices Passes Community-led services To each other Rural Parliament Other networks Sharing ideas & knowledge

Key service available Employment Training/skills  Youth Land available  Better Planning Affordable housing Quality of life Young people Arts & Culture Live sustainably Energy costs  Manage climate change effects Local food security

Never more powerful But how to maintain strength? How to achieve skills to influence? Vision clearing Need to clarify further? Emerging common unity in vision A decentralised power strategy Scope for difference locally Mostly swimming with policy tide Need “pioneering strength” How to achieve democratic renewal? Are Community Councils beyond repair, or not?

Ask the Government to deliver for us? or Ask Government to support the Rural Parliament and rural communities to decide and deliver more for ourselves?

Commit to supporting rural communities and the Rural Parliament to decide and deliver more of what we aspire to Work with us to agree where you are best placed to deliver our agenda and to develop a plan of action Focus on and involve us in agreeing tailored support arrangements to allow more community led actions Commit to co-creating a national conversation on community democratic power as a first step towards reformed local democratic arrangements Commit to agree with us a range of rural outcome measures and monitoring arrangements

“A classic empowered community is one that is confident, resilient, energetic and independent. It is well networked and has a high degree of social capital. It is confident enough to imagine a better future for itself, and is in a position to take control of that future. It has the breadth of vision to be able to enlist others and other agencies in helping deliver its ambitions. “By contrast, a disempowered community is one which is dependent on people external to itself to address its needs and whose future is directed by others.” Alison Elliott

Peter Peacock Ideas, to policy, to action