1. Best Practice Mercat Cross & City Centre Community Council mercatcross.wordpress.com Stirling - Mercat Cross & City Centre Community Council

2. What we think best practice is 1.Shared responsibility/resource management 2.Identify a community asset 3.Work in partnership 4.Go with the times 5.Understand your local needs: Local Community Plan 6.Identify problems 7.Seize the moment

3. Shared responsibility/resource management Distribution of topics – Community councillors with own portfolio – Don’t add stuff to snagging list but contact Stirling Council yourself Skills register – Identify training needs

4. Identify and invest into a community asset

5. Identify a community asset Gowan Hill – It all started with one resident picking litter – A beacon project and catalyst – Involve the community (schools, green gym, university exchange students, Transition Stirling, charities) – Offer volunteering – More pride, more use, less litter – Guided walks, foraging, bat, plant walks – Historic walking tour: boards + QR codes – Visioning exercise – Work in partnership

6. Work in partnership Gowan Hill – Rangers, Forestry Commission, Archaeology, press, local shops, schools, biodiversity groups, volunteers Community Worker (lobby for!) Police, Community wardens, Councillors, regeneration team – flag up if not showing up Projects: CoderDojo, Creative Stirling, Cowane House … Invite speakers: – Council workers working closely with: local community groups/charities

7. Go with the times Homepage (wordpress) – Free; easy updates by everyone – Public transparency: Declaration of interests Facebook – Free – Easy to upload news/pictures – Great outreach – No panacea + aware of ‘problem communication’ – If twitter: connect with Facebook Set up a dedicated e-mail address – mercatcross-citycentrecc@hotmail.co.uk mercatcross-citycentrecc@hotmail.co.uk

8. Identify problems Student population – 50% of residents – Transient – How to reach out and get them to join the Council? Signatories for bank account Follow best practise: Scottish Association of Community Councils www.ascc.org.ukwww.ascc.org.uk Stirling Council guidance

9. Seize the moment Local Area Plan – Offer by university to provide support for public consultation and outreach Gowan Hill – Grants – It’s your neighbourhood Award – Exchange students looking for volunteering work

10. Questions?