Neighbourhood Networks: exciting new chapter for community planning?

Over the last year, as part of the new approach to community planning,  the Edinburgh Partnership has been looking at how it is organised to make it more open and improve how it works across the city, and neighbourhood networks are a key part of the agreed new structure.

Making sure communities are more involved in changing their neighbourhoods and the city for the better was a key aim behind the new approach. THe neighbourhood networks are one way to make this happen and will allow the people who know their areas best to shape the future. 

In total, 13 Neighbourhood Networks are being set-up.  Members will include community councils and other community groups in the area, such as residents’ organisations and parents’ councils, together with councillors and voluntary groups. The final make-up of the membership and how it will operate will be for each network to decide. 

The initial meetings of the neighbourhood networks will focus on introducing the new arrangements, allowing participants to discuss their ambitions for their area and how the networks might work, together with information on the next steps.

Speaking about the next stage Adam McVey, Chair, Edinburgh Partnership and Leader of The City of Edinburgh Council said: “Over the last year, the Edinburgh Partnership has been looking at how we organise ourselves to make us more open and improve how we work across the city.

“Our major goal was to agree a new way of working to which helps us to create a city where everyone can share in our success; a city where people have enough money to live on, can access jobs, learning or training opportunities, and have a good place to live. I believe our newly agreed structure will help us do that.

“This is an exciting time for the city and gives us a real opportunity to do things differently and I would like to thank everyone who has been involved up to this point, whether it was in the initial review, consultation and, more recently, the localities events. We look forward to continuing to work with the people of Edinburgh to make this a success.”

Find out more about community planning, the arrangements in your area and how you can get involved.