About Community Councils
What are Community Councils?
Community councils are the most local tier of statutory representation in Scotland. They bridge the gap between local authorities and communities, and help to make public bodies aware of the opinions and needs of the communities they represent.
Their primary purpose is to ascertain and express the views of the community to the local authority and other public bodies. Many community councils also involve themselves in a wide range of other activities including fundraising, organising community events, undertaking environmental and educational projects and much more.
There are currently around 1200 community councils in Scotland, all composed of elected volunteers from the community.
Community Council legislation
Community councils were created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The Act required local authorities to introduce community council schemes for their area outlining various arrangements including elections, meetings, boundaries, and finance. Local authorities have the freedom to tailor schemes to the particular circumstances of their area.
Local authorities and other bodies consult with community councils on issues affecting the community. These issues depend to a large extent on what is important to each community, however local authorities are required to consult community councils on planning applications and involve them in the Community Planning process.
Community councils are the most local tier of statutory representation in Scotland. They bridge the gap between local authorities and communities, and help to make public bodies aware of the opinions and needs of the communities they represent.
Their primary purpose is to ascertain and express the views of the community to the local authority and other public bodies. Many community councils also involve themselves in a wide range of other activities including fundraising, organising community events, undertaking environmental and educational projects and much more.
There are currently around 1200 community councils in Scotland, all composed of elected volunteers from the community.
Community Council legislation
Community councils were created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The Act required local authorities to introduce community council schemes for their area outlining various arrangements including elections, meetings, boundaries, and finance. Local authorities have the freedom to tailor schemes to the particular circumstances of their area.
Local authorities and other bodies consult with community councils on issues affecting the community. These issues depend to a large extent on what is important to each community, however local authorities are required to consult community councils on planning applications and involve them in the Community Planning process.
Our Village, Our Community - Balerno Community Plan
Balerno Community Council has published a completed Community Plan for Balerno. It aims both to describe our community and to offer suggestions for how we might all wish it to be in the future, and it sets out some priorities for the future.
In writing the plan we have started on the basis that people want ours to be a cohesive community, where there is a shared vision and a sense of belonging for everybody. In preparing the Plan we have looked at what you have told us in response to the ‘Vision for our Future’ in 2016, and we have also benefitted by being able to see the results of Balerno VillageTrust’s consultation, ‘A Better Balerno’, published in March 2017.
Having a plan for our community is the difference between being proactive and being reactive. It is the difference between trying to make our future as we would wish it, as against simply letting it happen to us; between being victims of circumstance and having a real voice in the settling of our future. The Plan is not set in stone. The Community Council will review it on a continuous basis and will adjust as appropriate, in the light of what you tell us.
In preparing this plan the Community Council aims to encourage improvement in the quality of life of the community. We would like to encourage the community at large to continue involvement in identifying what needs to be done and in helping to achieve the changes sought.
You can DOWNLOAD AND READ the full plan here.
In writing the plan we have started on the basis that people want ours to be a cohesive community, where there is a shared vision and a sense of belonging for everybody. In preparing the Plan we have looked at what you have told us in response to the ‘Vision for our Future’ in 2016, and we have also benefitted by being able to see the results of Balerno VillageTrust’s consultation, ‘A Better Balerno’, published in March 2017.
Having a plan for our community is the difference between being proactive and being reactive. It is the difference between trying to make our future as we would wish it, as against simply letting it happen to us; between being victims of circumstance and having a real voice in the settling of our future. The Plan is not set in stone. The Community Council will review it on a continuous basis and will adjust as appropriate, in the light of what you tell us.
In preparing this plan the Community Council aims to encourage improvement in the quality of life of the community. We would like to encourage the community at large to continue involvement in identifying what needs to be done and in helping to achieve the changes sought.
You can DOWNLOAD AND READ the full plan here.
MeetingsThe Community Council meets generally on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00pm in Balerno High School. Please consult the list of confirmed dates shown below. We meet in the "Learning Resource Centre" on the first floor.
Members of the public are very welcome at all meetings and will be given an opportunity to raise relevant matters during "Public Question Time". Members of the public can choose to stay with us for the whole meeting, or leave after Public Question Time. Future Meetings: 6th June (AGM) |
Recent Minutes
For archived minutes, please click here.
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Correspondence
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