1. A Brief Guide to Community Councils
Kirsty Macleod, Area Committee Officer (Marr)

2. The Role of Community Councils
Community Councils represent the views of, and take action to promote the interests of, their community
Proactively identify and understand issues of importance to their community
Take action or convey its findings to the Council or other relevant authority
Statutory rights of consultation
Community councils are voluntary organisations which exist with a statutory framework.
The general purpose of Community Councils set out in the legislation is to ascertain, co-ordinate and express to the Council or other public bodies the views of the community which it represents and to take action in the interests of that community. Key is to represent the views of and take action to promote the interests of the Community.
Community Councils should proactively look to identify and understand issues of importance to their community – taking into account views expressed by members of the community and other evidence.
How that’s done can vary depending on the circumstances – it could be through surveys and formal consultation events or informal charts with the people you meet in your everyday lives.
Community council meetings are open to the public and the community should be kept informed through information like minutes being made publically available – often through a noticeboard, also increasingly through website and social media.
Part of the role of community councillors is to be accessible and engage with their community – important that people know how to contact their community councillors, that residents are encouraged to raise issues and that community councillors take time to ask people about their views on local issues.
Every issue should be given a fair hearing with all points of view in the community taken into consideration. Information and evidence should be sought out to further understanding of the issues. Where there are conflicting views within the community it’s important to keep an open mind and that difference in opinion should be honestly reflected when conveying the community’s view.
Depending on the issue, the Community Council should then take action or convey its findings to the Council or other relevant authority. Community Councils can be really valuable in helping to ensure that the Council are as fully informed as possible about what’s going on in local communities and communities’ needs and aspirations.
Community Councils, unlike other community organisations, are statutorily included in the consultation process for all planning applications affecting their area. There are also specific consultation powers in relation to things like liquor licensing.

3. Elected by their local communities Non-party-political and
non-sectarian
Represent all sections of
the community
Who can be a
community councillor?
Another important feature of community councils is that they are democratic bodies elected by their local communities.
As community councils have a duty to represent the views of their communities it’s important that they are able to reflect the broad spectrum of opinion and interests of all sections of the community. Community councils must also be non-party-political and non-sectarian in all their discussions and decision making.
Community councils are volunteers – that comes with same opportunities and challenges as other voluntary organisation. Being a community councillor can be a good way to influence what happens in your community while gaining knowledge and learning new skills.
Membership is open to those on the electoral register and resident in that area (CCs also have discretion for up to two ccs who don’t reside in the area but work/own a business there.) At the moment members have to be over 18 –that’s changing to over 16 to reflect the change in voting age in Scotland. There will also be places for junior members – young people aged 14 or 15 who live or go to school in the community area – and the idea is that cc’s will work with their local academies to fill those places.
Members are elected, that could be through a contested or an uncontested election depending on the number of people who put themselves forward. Where there are vacancies in-between elections, community councils can also co-opt new community councillors with full voting rights. Community councils can also have associate members – these are non-voting members who are appointed for particular knowledge or skills that would be useful to the community council – often to help with a specific project.

4. Supporting or organising local projects Town & Village Enhancements
Campaigning on local issues
As part of the general purpose to represent and take action in the interests of their community - community councils can carry out a wide range of roles and activities.
Community Councils are very diverse and can vary a great deal in the sort of issues they get involved in. Some community councils focus on reacting to the issues brought to them by members of the community – that could be issues like street lighting or pot-holes that need sorting. Others take on a more proactive role as an initiator of projects for the community as a whole.
As some examples of the wide range of things community councils get involved in –
Supporting or organising local projects: defibrillator, play-park improvements, paths projects, resilience plans –most often done in partnership
Developing Community Action Plans
Town or village enhancements such as floral displays or Christmas lights
Lobbying on local issues such as road safety
Responding to consultations –planning applications – also Council policy, Scottish Government, NHS, Police
Holding public meetings, conducting surveys, representing the community council on other groups and producing local newsletters.
Given the broad remit of Community Councils there is great scope for their future development. Community Planning emphasises the need for the Council to develop it’s relationship with CCs and developments like the Community Empowerment Act could further increase the scope for CC participation in improving outcomes for their communities.
Key to remember that the main purpose is representing your community – if it matters to your community then that’s what you should be doing.
Organising community events
Producing local newsletters
Representing the CC on other groups
Holding public meetings
Responding to consultations
Conducting local surveys

5. Scheme of Establishment – Next Steps
Comes into effect on 1 April, 2018
Transition period until 28 September, 2018
Next Step – Update Constitutions (Template will be circulated shortly)
Key Changes
Membership Numbers
Junior Members
AGMs and Elections
Scheme of Establishment – which is the document that sets out the procedural framework for community councillors has been reviewed. The new Scheme comes into effect on 1 April, 2018 and there’s a transition period until 28 September 2018.
The next step is going to be for community councils to update their constitutions based on the model constitution. That template will be circulated to all community councillors shortly.
The amended constitutions will need to be approved in the transition period between April and September. It’s up to Community Councils to determine when – you could get it ready for approval as a special meeting in April/May or at AGM in June.
Key Changes –
Membership Numbers: New Scheme sets out a minimum based on the electorate and a recommended maximum based on electorate and size of area. You can apply to the AM to change the maximum number – will be in touch with all CCs to discuss.
As I said previously, eligibility for membership lowered to age 16 and place for junior members – there’s further guidance being produced on that. Quorum at meetings is now 1/3 of voting membership or 3 whichever is the greater.
AGMs will now be all in June. Elections will be administered by the Council but will reflect what is current practice for most in that before the AGM, it will be established how many terms are expiring + how many vacancies which will then be advertised. Nominations will be accepted and if there are more nominations than vacancies – a contested election will be held.
We’ll be providing support along the way and work is also underway on updating the website, CC handbook, additional guidance