Tag: Community Councils

HELP! Community Councils umbrella body funding appeal

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils appeals to members for financial support

The Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) is making a one-time appeal for funds.

Like community councils, we need to pay for a website, video-conferencing and meeting facilities, and help with documenting meetings etc. 

Unlike community councils, we are not receiving financial support from either the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) or the Edinburgh Partnership, the higher level body to which both CEC and EACC belong.

Why is this? Community councils are statutory bodies and EACC is officially recognised by CEC as representing them in Edinburgh. Until a few years ago, EACC were getting a grant, similar to those given to individual community councils. This was authorised by Edinburgh Partnership, but paid by CEC from its community services budget. 

Paul Lawrence, CEC Director of Place, has told us that funding hasn’t been provided to EACC since 2017-8. Inevitably there are conflicting explanations of why. We asked Paula McLeay, CEC Head of Policy and Insight, if the grant could be reinstated, but the answer was no. 

EACC is unique among Edinburgh Partnership members in being totally voluntary and unfunded. This is unsustainable and we will continue to negotiate for the grant to be restored. 

In the meantime we have no money, so we are launching this appeal for funds from Edinburgh’s community councils. (As a guide we are hoping to raise about £500 to maintain basic services.)

If you are willing to support EACC, we would be very grateful if you could send us funds by bank transfer:

Account number              30120430
Sort code                         82 68 00
Account name                  Edinburgh Association of Community Councils

Or, by cheque, by post to:

Mrs J Wightman
17 Bonnington
Kirknewton
Midlothian
EH27 8BB

Simon Holledge, Secretary
Judy Wightman, Treasurer

Happy New Year for community councillors at Scottish Engineer

With 2022 just around the corner – The Scottish Engineer wanted to give all of Drylaw Telford Community Council a little present to start the year!

From next Monday (3rd January) you can enjoy 25% off food for the whole of January.

To qualify, simply tell your server you are from Drylaw Telford Community Council facebook group when requesting your bill and the discount will be applied automatically.

You may use this discount as many times as you like throughout January and no booking if required.

But if you do wish to book in advance to avoid disappointment, please head to : thescottishengineer.co.uk — at The Scottish Engineer

Neighbourhood Watch: How Do We Tackle Antisocial Behaviour?

FREE COMMUNITY SEMINAR

Book your FREE place on @N_Watch webinar now

http://ourwatch.org.uk/webinars @ Mon 15th Nov 5-6pm to find out about the impact antisocial behaviour has on communities & how together we can tackle this growing problem

#saynotoasb

Drylaw Telford Community Council meets tomorrow evening

Drylaw Telford Community Council meets tomorrow evening following the summer recess.

As well as the usual agenda items, topical issues include the state of Drylaw Shopping Centre, an update on Drylaw House and Easter Drylaw Park issues.

The meeting will be held on Zoom and starts at 7pm.

For details on how you can participate please email DTCC secretary Pam Higgins, pamhigginsdtcc@gmail.com

Community councils to set agenda for September EACC meeting

The next ordinary meeting of Edinburgh Association of Community Councils will be on 9th September.

What would you like to discuss? What issues do you want to raise?

Community councillors, send us a DM, or an email to the Secretary at Secretary@EdinburghCommunityCouncils.org.uk.

We’d like to hear from you!

Remember there’s free training available for community councillors too:

Free courses for community councillors from the Improvement Service and The Open University in Scotland are available in digital skills, business skills, finance and fundraising, and community and society.

Sign up online and complete them in your own time:

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/skills-supportOU-CC

Free online courses for community councillors

Community councillors are already making the most of the online courses developed by the Improvement Service and The Open University in Scotland. 

There have been over 700 hits on the portal where you can sign up for free courses on digital skills, business skills, finance and fundraising, and community and society.

More information here: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/skills-supportOU-CC

Community Councillors from all over Scotland have already benefited from the free online courses developed by the Improvement Service and The Open University in Scotland

Find out more and register for a free account here: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/skills-supportOU-CC

Free training courses for community councillors

The Improvement Service and the Open University (OU) in Scotland are working together to offer all community council volunteers the opportunity to upskill and reskill using OU courses.

Throughout the pandemic the Improvement Service’s Community Councils (CCs) project supported by Scottish Government has been trying to find ways to support CCs as they adapt to new ways of working and the OU was one of the organisations we reached out to and asked how they could help.

We asked Scotland’s CCs what skills they would find helpful to have or improve on and we are delighted to present these free online courses which the OU have tailored to suit the needs of Scottish CCs.

Many CCs have fully embraced the digital journey during the pandemic and there are courses here to help you continue that journey such as using Microsoft Teams and succeeding in a digital world. In addition to digital skills there are also courses on a range of other topics that community councillors have suggested including finance, fundraising, community and business skills.

These courses are totally free – all community councillors have to do is register for a free account and then you can begin your learning journey with the OU.

The OU has many courses to choose from but if you would like to suggest additional topics for training not covered that would benefit CCs in Scotland please let us know by e-mail: scottishccs@improvementservice.org.uk

So what are you waiting for? Brush up on your skills or learn some brand new ones with the OU, just click on the link below to begin your journey:

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/skills-supportOU-CC

EACC event to discuss capital’s public spaces

The Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC) will be holding a special meeting entitled Events in the New Green Edinburgh — the Public Spaces Management Plan (PSMP) Exercise, this Thursday 10 December at 7pm by Zoom.

Registration is by Eventbrite at:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/events-in-the-new-green-edinburgh-public-spaces-management-plan-psmp-tickets-130883386733

The City of Edinburgh has just launched an extensive stakeholder consultation about “how Edinburgh manages its public outside space for events, filming and festivals . . based around key principles/guidelines that will apply across the whole of Edinburgh.”

Leading our discussion on the Public Spaces Management Plan will be: 

Cliff Hague, Emeritus Professor of Planning and Spatial Development at Heriot-Watt University, Chair of the Cockburn Association: Pitfalls and potholes: managing Edinburgh’s public spaces 

Mariana Trusson, former Chair of the Edinburgh Sustainable Development Partnership (ESDP): Environmental protection, carbon neutrality and sustainability: events and festivals in public spaces 

This will be followed by a contribution by a leading City of Edinburgh councillor or official.

Jim Scanlon (Leith Links Community Council) and another community councillor will talk about local issues with the PSMP.

This meeting is open to the public, but priority will be given to questions from community councillors. 

The meeting will be recorded and may be published later. Please note that by joining the meeting you are giving your consent for the meeting to be recorded.

Simon Holledge
_________________________________________
Edinburgh Association of Community Councils (EACC)
EACC Secretary
Simon.Holledge@edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk

EACC meeting cancelled

Edinburgh Association of Community Councils will now meet in October

We are sorry to notify CC members that we have decided to cancel the next meeting due to be held on Thursday 24th September 2020.

Unfortunately, due to holidays and other issues, we have not been able to tie up with speakers nor obtain sufficient information on current issues to make a meeting worthwhile for those representatives who normally attend. 

We are planning to hold a virtual meeting on Thursday 22nd October 2020 with a full agenda of items raised by representatives. It would still be helpful if issues of concern raised at CC meetings were notified to the Secretary in order that we can circulate relevant information to attendees.

We still proposed to hold an AGM on Thursday 19th November 2020.

We apologise for the late cancellation of next Thursday’s meeting.      

Kind regards

John Tibbitt

Chair, Edinburgh Association of Community Councils

chair@edinburghcommunitycouncils.org.uk

Community council to meet again via Zoom

Hi everyone,
This is to advise that our regular meeting of the West Pilton West Granton Community Council on 2 June at 7 pm will go ahead.
Given the current COVID-19 restrictions, however, and in line with CEC guidance, we will be holding the meeting remotely, via Zoom.
Contact Peter for registration details: – wpwgcommunitycouncil@outlook.com
As Zoom places a 45 minute limit, our meeting will be for essential business.  A draft agenda is below:
1. Welcome – Lana
*2. Proposal to provide funding to community newsletter – Willie
*3. Current position with chequebook – Peter
4. Living with Covid-19
    a. Police Report – Sarah
    b. Community Food Support – Willie/ Peter
5. AOB & DONM – Lana
Regards
Peter Faassen de Heer
Secretary, West Pilton West Granton Community Council