CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Community Councils

(80 posts)

123

  1. jonty
    Member

    On the one hand yes, but on the other as a relatively engaged person I read that elections were "coming up" a while back and then, checking again later on, realised that I'd missed them. I've certainly never been invited to take part in an election.

    Could the terms be aligned with and piggy back on top of the council elections to increase their profile?

    I think you've got to the root of it though - there's no real current political will to reform Scottish local government in any particular direction, so rocking the boat in any way is simply not done so things stay as they are.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  2. SRD
    Moderator

    a few years ago, I was really dismayed at how my community council policed 'non-attendance'. they had a student member who they were clearly very dubious about, and when the student missed meetings they jumped to expel them. Likewise, when I missed meetings - because they kept scheduling them over half term breaks and other holidays - they made it very clear that I wasn't up to their standards. I eventually resigned rather than have them harass me and then expel me.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  3. jonty
    Member

    That's pretty grim! And would be a very illuminating submission to an investigation about why Community Councils are so unrepresentative, if anyone cared enough to hold one.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  4. Wout Van Aerthur Seat
    Member

    Jonty - There was a proposal years ago to legislate to hold all CC elections nationwide on the same day, this would raise the profile. Not sure what ever happened to it but I presume it wasn't prioritised by ScotGov decision makers.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  5. SRD
    Moderator

    @jonty what I remember is (a) how suspicious they were about the student, who had a 'foreign' name and (b) their glee when he missed three meetings in a row and they could expel him. it was unseemly, and created a most unwelcoming environemnt, given that most of them introduced themselves by saying "and I've been a member since xxxx' .

    Posted 3 years ago #

  6. jonty
    Member

    @SRD: yuck. I hope things have improved at least slightly since then. I wonder - if their "foreign" name implied they didn't grow up in the UK - whether they had come in with experience of more personal and inclusive local government elsewhere.

    @Wout: yes - this government seems generally to be in favour of devolution to Holyrood and no further.

    Just found this while googling which seems to make similar suggestions. I guess this means there maybe some momentum for things to improve over the next decade.

    Posted 3 years ago #

  7. chdot
    Admin

    https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/politics/edinburgh-city-council-accused-of-snubbing-community-councils-around-key-issues-affecting-their-areas-3502376

    Posted 2 years ago #

  8. Morningsider
    Member

    Funny, because I've seen little evidence of any community council ever fulfilling its statutory duty to:

    ascertain, co-ordinate and express to the local authorities for its area, and to public authorities, the views of the community which it represents.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  9. jonty
    Member

    Yeah - it's not particularly clear how useful CC's consultative role is now that proposals can be sent directly to residents for instant feedback.

    I understand that policymakers value having a few nominated people who they can run early proposals past prior to wider release for quick feedback which catches obvious issues. However, it sounds like CCs struggle to be this dynamic - so what's the point?

    Posted 2 years ago #

  10. acsimpson
    Member

    What I find hard about CC's is that their primary role is often against progress. If consultation responses show that a majority is against change then the CC will presumably be stuck fighting the change. Meanwhile the City Council has responsibilities beyond that and will make change regardless.

    Posted 2 years ago #

  11. chdot
    Admin

    “

    It’s fifty years since the first cohort of community councillors were elected to ‘fill the gap’ that was created when the previous most local tier of governance - that eclectic mix of county, burgh and town councils - were swept away in the interests of (presumably) efficiency. It would be fascinating to compare the hopes and aspirations of those early pioneers with the experience of today’s community councillors (See piece below). That ‘gap’ became a yawning chasm twenty years later when local councils were once again restructured, establishing the least ‘local’ system of local government of any in the developed world. It’s worth noting just how comfortable our politicians, both local and national, seem to be with this remarkable anomaly. That community councils have been virtually untouched (some might say ignored) for half a century tells its own story. A community councillor myself, I’m all too aware of how we are perceived - perfectly illustrated by this recent evidence session at Scottish Parliament (starts at 11:30:25). Fifteen years ago, the launch of this Plan heralded an era of community empowerment and since then, there’s been some significant progress. None of which however, should be mistaken for that missing tier of local democracy.

    Best wishes

    Angus Hardie, Director

    http://scottishcommunityalliance.org.uk

    “

    Posted 1 year ago #

  12. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Jackie Weaver speaks to Scottish Parliament committee and says Scotland's community councils should be given more autonomy

    Ms Weaver, who became an unlikely social media star after a town council meeting went viral, said their equivalents in England have more resources.

    She was giving evidence to Holyrood’s local government, housing and planning committee in her capacity as chief officer of Cheshire Association of Local Councils.

    “

    https://archive.is/7tMPv

    Posted 1 year ago #

  13. Yodhrin
    Member

    When they stop being exclusionary social clubs for pensioners to stymie progress, sure. Until then I rather prefer them toothless.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  14. Frenchy
    Member

    When they stop being exclusionary social clubs for pensioners to stymie progress, sure. Until then I rather prefer them toothless.

    It's not completely clear that "Community Councils are exclusionary social clubs for pensioners to stymie progress" isn't the chicken to the "Community Councils are toothless" egg. So perhaps giving them teeth would help stop them being "exclusionary social clubs for pensioners to stymie progress".

    (I'm not actually sure whether I agree or not.)

    Posted 1 year ago #

  15. Yodhrin
    Member

    I just don't think they're compatible with genuine responsibility in their current form. No matter how much power you give them, they'd remain voluntary organisations which will inevitably skew their membership old and wealthy, which inevitably shapes their aims and priorities. They're opaque and not particularly democratic, even in the context of the often miserable turnouts and participation of local democracy.

    In the context of a broader reform of local democracy I certainly think local areas should have more say over how they're run(to an extent - "local folk don't want X" should have sod-all impact on large projects or you end up with the farce you see in London with RBKC obstructing the cycle network for half the city), but I think that would probably be better achieved by reformatting the whole system of *elected* representation so current councils end up somewhere between their current size/area of responsibility and those of CCs and a new "medium" layer of representation on a regional basis is added between them and the SG with meaningful powers & budget for things like transport & health.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  16. gembo
    Member

    In 1968 Balerno was a small village that required two buses to get to from Edinburgh. The railway company had gone bust but had stopped taking passengers previously. The famous six villas from the 18th century, the Victorian development along the Lanark Road, and the Johnsburn road and some artisanal dwellings. The first farm fields were then sold and the first modern estate built. The people who moved in are still here on the Community Council and are losing the fight to prevent Primrose Roseberry divest himself of his remaining land for more housing before he snuffs it.

    However, the same people and some middle aged people have also set up The Village Trust. This attracts funding in a slightly disproportionate manner and does good deeds. New footbridge, farmers market, community centre, so a balance between Nimbysism and improving local ammenities. People having to work all day or the youth are not represented, some like me go along and can’t stand the boredom of it. But most don’t bother,at all? Wi fi speed seems to be the big issue for the demographic?

    Posted 1 year ago #

  17. Yodhrin
    Member

    That's a pretty uncharitable characterisation. There have been stories of young people trying to join up with CCs and being treated with barely concealed contempt/bullied off again by the wise elder types. Many won't even know the CC exists or what it does, and sure part of that is their currently limited responsibilities, but if you expand those without also dealing with the other issues it's not going to improve things, just reinforce existing disenfranchisement.

    If it's going to be more than nimbyism and bake sales then it will become a proper job and proper politics, so it should be properly elected and have a proper salary.

    Posted 1 year ago #

  18. chdot
    Admin

    Ever wondered why people don’t join Community Councils?

    “

    The AGM and the next ordinary meeting of the community council will be held on Wednesday 21st May at 7pm. Note that this meeting will be at Stockbridge Parish Church, in person only (i.e. joining via Zoom won’t be available).

    “

    https://www.stockbridgeandinverleithcc.org.uk/meetings/

    ACTUALLY, it’s still to come THIS MONTH.

    I hear they are keen/desperate for new members.

    ESPECIALLY under 60.

    Wednesday 21st June, Stockbridge Parish Church 7b Saxe Coburg Street, 7pm

    Posted 1 year ago #

  19. chdot
    Admin

    “

    The challenge now is for @Edinburgh_CC , our local cllrs, TEC, @WOLCT , ourselves, other interested parties & anyone who wants to help, to get this river crossing built. Bring T7 active travel link to life. Great the developer has enshrined the route in the plans. Easy win for CEC.

    “

    https://twitter.com/longstone_cc/status/1669788026849959937

    Posted 1 year ago #

  20. chdot
    Admin

    “

    Parish and town councils will spend almost £800m in the next financial year after increasing their average council tax surcharge by 8.5%, according to official figures that illustrate how a new tier of local government in England has emerged to carry out basic duties abandoned by cash-strapped local authorities.

    From street cleaning to managing public toilets, the 8,866 parish and town councils are “the unsung heroes” filling in the gaps opened up by central government funding cuts, the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) said.

    “

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/30/england-parishes-and-towns-raise-council-tax-surcharge-local-services

    Posted 7 months ago #

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