Tag: Community Councils

Community Councils: Time’s running out to submit your Nomination Form

Nominations opened for Community Council elections on 6 February 2025.  Noominations close at 4pm on Thursday 27 February 2025.

The quickest method to return completed nomination forms is by email to the Governance Team at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk

If you choose to return by hand or by post please ensure you allow sufficient time for the nomination form to be received before the deadline at 4pm on Thursday 27 February 2025.  

Example completed nomination forms are attached to this email. All sections that must be completed are highlighted in yellow.

Attached is a breakdown of every valid nomination received for each individual Community Council as of 20 February 2025.

For each individual Community Council, you will also note the column with the minimum number of nominations required to establish the Community Council. We have highlighted in green the Community Councils that have already met the minimum elected members threshold.

Nomination form – further clarification

  1. We being persons residing in and appearing on the electoral register for the area of’ – ‘area’ means the community council area that you are being nominated for. Please ensure that you include the correct name of the Community Council and not the constituency or ward information. You can check the name of your community council on our website.
  1. An individual can be both a single proposer and a single seconder, e.g.  They could propose Individual A and second Individual B. They cannot propose or second any other individuals.
  1. A nominees family member (e.g. Wife, husband, brother etc.) can propose or second them in compliance with the point above.
  1. Please only submit 1 nomination form via 1 method of submission e.g. via email OR by hand OR by post. Please do not send multiple copies of nomination forms to the Governance Team as this creates additional administrative pressures. The quickest method to return completed nomination forms is by email to the Governance Team at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk

Since nominations opened we have received a number of nominations which have been assessed as not valid.  All candidates have been provided with advice on how to rectify and re-submit by the closing date of 4pm on Thursday 27 February 2025.

Common ‘not valid’ reasons

Below are common reasons why nomination forms have been assessed as not valid

  • The nomination form does not detail the name of the Community Council area that the candidate has been nominated for.
  • The nomination form has not been signed in ink by the proposer, seconder and candidate.
  • The nomination form has not been dated by the proposer, seconder and candidate.
  • Photo of nomination form and signatures must be legible.

Below are common reasons why Local Interest Group nomination forms have been assessed as not valid

  • The LIG nomination form has not been signed in ink by the President/Chairperson and Secretary/Treasurer.
  • A copy of the LIGs constitution has not been supplied.
  • The LIG nomination does not include the name(s) of the Community Council.

If you need any assistance with completing a nomination form then please do not hesitate to contact us at community.councils@edinburgh.gov.uk

Regards

Governance Team

Last chance to have your say on Princes Street plans

There’s still time to share your views on council plans to revitalise Princes Street, the Gardens and area around Waverley Station.

The survey closes at midnight TONIGHT – Friday (21 Feb). If you work, live, shop, enjoy visiting or just travel through the city centre, this survey is for you:

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/princesstreetsurvey

• better pavements and crossings

• more places to sit

• less steep path into Princes Street Gardens

• generating a mix of retail, hospitality and leisure

• safer cycling at the east and west of Princes Street

• supporting wildlife, planting more trees and flowers

Old Town, New Town & Broughton and West End community councils submitted the following joint response:

Take the chance to represent your community

YOUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL NEEDS YOU!

It’s been over half a century since community councils came into existence in Scotland in 1973 – and in that time, we’ve seen over 1,200 established across the country (writes Culture and Communities Convener CLLR VAL WALKER).

These bodies are groups of residents who are passionate about their communities and play an important role in grassroots democracy.

Here in Edinburgh, the election period for our community councils has begun. Last week nominations opened to stand for election as a community councillor, this closes on 27 February. Following that we’ll hold an election only if there are more people nominated than places on the community council.

This is your chance to take a lead in your local area and make your community a better place. From campaigning on key local issues, organising meetings, chairing debates, looking out for vulnerable individuals and groups, to liaising with local and national representatives and much more – the life of a community councillor in the Capital is never ordinary.

I’m continually inspired by the stories I come across of community councils. In Lady Nairne, the Northfield and Willowbrae Community Council worked tirelessly to ensure that a solution was found when the previous 69 supported bus service ceased operations several years ago.

Following extensive engagement with ward councillors and Council officers a new route was implemented just in time for Christmas last year, which I know was a welcome gift to those residents who had long campaigned for its reinstation.

We’ve also seen Longstone Community Council lead a campaign to erect a new bridge to link their community to the Hutchison/Chesser community, as part of a new active travel project.

Initially a bridge was not part of these plans but following successful meetings with their ward councillor, Council officers and the developer some £170,000 worth of contributions were earmarked to support the delivery of the bridge. This will now go to consultation as part of the as the Longstone Link project.

These are just a couple of the many examples of the excellent work community councils are doing across our city every day. I’d encourage all residents to consider standing as a community councillor.

“From Pilton to Portobello, Muirhouse to Morningside and beyond, Edinburgh draws its strength from its people, and we need their views, ideas and expertise to move forward together.

Find out more about community councils and how to stand for election on CEC website.

Community Council elections: Nominations now open

The Notice of Election to community councils in Edinburgh was published yesterday (Wednesday 5th February).

Community councils are groups of elected local residents who care about their communities. These councils play an important role in the democratic process and act in the interests of their local areas.

The nomination period runs from today until 27 February. During this time you can nominate yourself to stand for election as a community councillor.

An election will only be held in a community council area if there are more people nominated than places on the community council. Should this be necessary the election date will be 27 March.

The new community council term will start on 28 March and will last four years. The next community council elections are planned for 2029 though this may be subject to change.

Find out more about community councils and how to stand for election on our website along with the full text of the Notice of Election. 

Culture and Communities Convener, Councillor Val Walker said: “Community councils remain an integral part of the social and democratic fabric of our city. In my experience as a ward councillor, I truly value my relationship with community councils and the excellent work that they do.

“From campaigning on key local issues, to organising meetings, chairing debates, liaising with local and national representatives and much more – the life of a community councillor in the Capital is never ordinary.

“This is an excellent opportunity to take a lead in your local area and make your community a better place. I’d encourage all residents to consider standing as a community councillor. Edinburgh draws its strength from its citizens, and we need their views and ideas to move forward together.”

Secretary of Edinburgh Association of Community Councils, Ken Robertson said: “You have a community council voice in city life, by right.

“Don’t step to the side and stay silent.”

Democracy Matters: Community Councils update

Still time to sign up for our Community Councils webinar at 6pm on Wed 29 January, when we will get an update on the Democracy Matters consultation from the Scottish Government.

https://ow.ly/2tCt50UiYkI

The Democracy Matters engagement process asked communities to consider what the future of community decision making should look like where they live. 

On 19 September 2024, COSLA and the Scottish Government published the Democracy Matters National Conversation report alongside a joint statement reaffirming their commitment to this work.

In this session Scottish Government officials will be presenting the process findings and outlining next steps for this important work.

Promotion of Community Councils

MS Teams Meeting on Tuesday 22 October 2024 from 6-7:30pm

In advance of Community Council elections in February 2025, we are reaching out to invite you to the above meeting to discuss how community councils and the Council can collaboratively work together to promote community councils.

Some of the areas we are keen explore are:

  1. Positively communicating to the public who community councils are and the work they do.
  2. Encouraging membership to community councils.
  3. Promoting upcoming community councils elections in February 2025.

If you would like to attend, please use the MS Teams link below:

Microsoft Teams Need help?

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 315 878 447 216

Passcode: BsEd9c

Local Emergencies: Community Councils webinar with Ready Scotland

Still time to sign up for our webinar with @readyscotland on Wednesday 25 September to talk about how Community Councils are supporting people through local emergencies – and find out how you can contribute to a new survey on the issue.

#Resilience

https://forms.microsoft.com/e/jc7vP9xT41

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils meets on Thursday

EACC Meeting
Thursday 26 Oct 2023: 18.50 for 19.00 on Microsoft Teams.
 
Item 1: Local Place Plans – The role for Community Councils

Jane Iannarelli, CEC Senior Planning Officer, and

Anna Grant, Manager of the Development Plan Team

The pace of development around the city brings the issue of ‘change in the community’ into sharp focus. Development has some sharp edges. What’s the role for Community Councils in shaping their neighbourhoods? 

At last year’s November AGM, the call was for local communities to be given a stronger say on Local Development Plans and 20-Minute Neighbourhood Schemes. Still feel the same way?

Item 2: Open Floor


Here’s the 26 Oct Teams link:

Click here to join the meeting

Meeting ID: 341 168 093 390 
Passcode: zJFT9F 

Download Teams | Join on the web

Learn more | Meeting options 

Update:

1. The EACC AGM will be via a screen meeting on Thursday 23 November at 19.00. The Officer Bearer posts (4) and Members’ Board positions (up to 12) are open for election. There is a very real need for new participants to join the Members’ Board. 

The nomination papers are with you. Please return nominations to the Secretary by Thursday 9 November but at the very latest by 18.00 on Saturday 18 November. You will be advised of the nominee names submitted thereafter.

2. Go to the EACC website Front Page to catch recent posts, including the detail of the Planning Democracy free Winter Webinar Series on Local Development Plans, National Plannning Framework 4 and Greenbelts. 

Webinar Series on Understanding Planning: Local Development Plans, NPF4 and Greenbelts

3. At the end of August, Douglas Rogers of Marchmont & Sciennes CC spoke on the challenges of adapting homes in a conservation or heritage setting to high insulation standards. He wants to take his work here further and is inviting community councillors to join him. Read more in the attachment to this email. 

4. Daniel Fisher, Manager of the Greyfriars Charteris Centre at the Pleasance (EH8, within Southside CC ward), has asked me to pass on some detail of the Centre’s application for Scot Gov funding to establish the Edinburgh Climate Action Hub. He is requesting your support and expressions of interest in working with Greyfriars Charteris on this project.

Again, you’ll find more detail in the attachment to this email. 

Thanks.


———————————————————————-
Ken Robertson, Secretary.
secretary@edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) 

The EACC website homepage is:
Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk)

New resources for Community Councils

A new set of guidance documents for Community Councils have been published by the Improvement Service, Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), COSLA and the Scottish Government.

The documents, which include a Model Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils and Good Practice Guidance for how Community Councils should operate, were launched last week. Local Authorities can use this set of documents as the basis for their local versions which set out how community councils will run in their area.

Community councillors and local authority Community Council Liaison Officers (CCLOs) were involved in reviewing the existing Model Scheme and guidance document at a series of meetings in 2021 and 2022. These documents needed to be updated to take into account technological changes in the way Community Councils are meeting, conducting their finances and engaging with their communities.

There is some useful good practice guidance included, containing the latest information on topics such as planning, community empowerment and GDPR.

We felt that it is important that the key documents are available in accessible formats and that these should be available at a national level, to ensure that everyone within our communities can access and use the documents. The Good Practice Guidance for Community Councils, the Code of Conduct and the Standing Orders are now available in a range of formats.

There’s a video with BSL and captions, large print versions of the documents, text only versions that are suitable for braille conversion, and Easy Read. 

The Easy Read versions contain all of the information but break it down into small chunks, with explanations of some of the terms that are used. 

This helps make the information more accessible for people with learning disabilities, people who have memory problems, people who speak English as their second language and anyone who finds reading difficult. 

It can also be useful for people who are anxious or stressed and struggling to take in information because of that or those who have to take in information in a hurry.

All of the documents are also available in Gaelic, and other language translations can be requested.

Access the set of documents on the Community Councils website.