Muirhouse Salvesen Community Council has reformed following a break of almost a year. Continue reading Muirhouse Salvesen CC’s back in business
Tag: community participation
Drylaw Telford Community Council AGM
Wednesday 28 June at 7pm
Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, 67b Groathill Road North
All welcome
West Pilton West Granton CC meets tonight
West Pilton West Granton Community Council meets tonight in West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre at 7pm. All welcome.
See below for the roles and responsibilities of Community Councils, he draft minutes from the last meeting and the agenda for tonight’s meeting.
Barbara Robertson
Co-Production Week Scotland
Fiona Garven, Director of SCDC and Chair of the Scottish Co-production Network looks at the progress co-production has made in Scotland – and where it can go next:
It doesn’t feel like so many years ago that we started talking about co-production in Scotland. In fact, in relation to the time it takes to make a system shift towards new ways of working, it has actually been no time at all!But, since it started in 2011, the Scottish Coproduction Network has grown to a membership of almost 1,000 made up of people active in their own communities, practitioners from across a range of sectors, and others interested in how to make coproduction fundamental to public policy.
Co-production has been championed in Scotland for a long time, in the work of many community and voluntary sector organisations, and by those who believe in the importance of participation and the contribution of all in helping to achieve better outcomes. Through the Scottish Co-production Network, we’ve been able to share examples of citizens and services working together to produce innovative solutions to many social issues, from working with vulnerable young people to maximise their life chances through to support for older people to live well and independently for longer – there are many other examples besides.
But, although these examples of good practice are making a positive impact on people’s lives, we have yet to reach the stage where working alongside citizens or service users as equal partners, or recognising and supporting independent community action, is at the foundation of how we deliver public services in Scotland.
Over the last few years we have seen a significant move at government level towards an empowerment agenda, with specific legislation in the shape of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act, but also supported by policy initiatives in respect of reforming public services, new thinking on ‘what makes us healthy’, and addressing inequalities – all with an emphasis on community participation and the involvement of citizens.
Co-production is at the heart of nearly all of our policy ambitions, and with Co-production Week Scotland, it’s time to build on the enthusiasm and messages for a national campaign where we can all contribute our ideas, thoughts and examples of where this way of working and thinking has made a real difference.
We still face the impacts of austerity in Scotland, and new global challenges in the manifest distrust of political and governance systems. Now, more than ever, is the time to promote and celebrate the difference co-production can make in shaping Scotland to be a more inclusive, participative and equal place to live.
Learn more about Co-production Week Scotland and get involved at #CoProWeekScot
First meeting of new West Pilton West Granton CC tonight
Dear All,
This is notification of the first meeting of the new Community Council for West Pilton West Granton.
It will be held in the West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre from 7pm to 9pm on Tuesday 1st November.
This is the usual venue for the meetings which are on the first Tuesday of each month.
The minutes of each section of the last meeting will be there.
Looking forward to seeing you .
Barbara Robertson
The result of the Leith Links Community Council election was announced last week – the only community council requiring a ballot following the nomination period.
Following the nominations period to join the Capital’s 44 community councils in September, a poll was required in Leith Links Community Council area where 17 valid nominations were received for 12 seats.
Voting opened on Thursday 20 October 2016 and closed at 8pm on Thursday 27 October 2016. Eligible voters were able to vote online throughout this period and in person at a polling station on Thursday 27 October 2016.
A total of 588 people voted and a list of the successful elected members has been published on the Council website.
Councillor Maureen Child, Convener of the Communities and Neighbourhood Committee, has congratulated everyone who took part in the election process. She said: “Community Councils are an ideal way to support communities to thrive, to allow people from all backgrounds to meet and share ideas and to make change happen.
“My congratulations go to all of the candidates who were successful in the 2016 Leith Links election. I wish them all the very best and look forward to working with them on the issues which matter in the Leith Links Community Council area.”
The first community councils were established in Edinburgh in 1980 in Merchiston and Longstone, and more than 500 people are now members across the city.
They each receive a grant to cover running costs and training is available for the members. They are represented on each of the city’s 12 Neighbourhood Partnerships and work alongside elected members, representatives from NHS Lothian, Police Scotland, the voluntary sector and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
For more information on community councils visit www.edinburgh.gov.uk/
Unsung heroes celebrated at Lauriston Castle
Edinburgh’s incredible volunteers were among the hundreds of people recognised for their crucial contribution to local life at the Lord and Lady Provost’s Community Garden Party, which was held at Lauriston Castle recently. Continue reading Unsung heroes celebrated at Lauriston Castle
The Local Hero experience
Lorne Community Association’s MELANIE WEIGANG (below, right) shares her experience of Saturday’s opening of parliament and Big Day Out: Continue reading The Local Hero experience
Drylaw Telford CC AGM next Wednesday
Please see below for agenda for Drylaw Telford Community Council’s AGM plus June 2016 monthly meeting.
The AGM will start at 7pm prompt with Monthly meeting following after AGM ends. Draft monthly minutes for May 2016 to follow.
Alex Dale
Chair, Drylaw Telford CC
‘Bringing the area alive’: Newhaven gets gardening
A local Heritage Garden Group enlisted the help of green-fingered volunteers to help green up an area in Newhaven’s Fishmarket Square recently. The project is part of this year’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom, the UK’s largest community gardening campaign. Continue reading ‘Bringing the area alive’: Newhaven gets gardening
Government launches September Recycling Week
Pick up the recycling habit this September
Cabinet Secretary for Environment Roseanna Cunningham has announced a week long effort to get Scotland recycling – and community groups are being encouraged to get involved.
Recycle Week will run from 12 to 18 September, co-ordinated by Zero Waste Scotland, it will aim to get everyone recycling more by raising awareness of the benefits and promoting easy ways to do more.
In the run up to the week local authorities, businesses, community groups, schools and colleges are being encouraged to get involved and take action to help boost recycling.
Launching the week this morning on World Environment Day (5 June), Ms Cunningham said: “We are lucky to be blessed with a stunning environment that is one of our most precious assets. It is crucial that we protect our resources and that’s key to our ambitions for a more circular economy in Scotland, where we keep products and materials in valuable use for longer.
“We’ve made great progress increasing recycling in recent years. For example in 2010 only 12% of households had food waste collections, while new figures show that has increased to 75%. It has never been easier to recycle your waste, but we still have further to go.
“People and communities the length and breadth of Scotland have a role to play and this September we’ll be encouraging more folk to pick up the recycling habit and do their bit for our environment.”
Iain Gulland, Chief Executive, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Recycle Week is all about getting as many people in Scotland as possible aware of the need to recycle more and to recycle better.
“More people than ever are recycling, especially in relation to food waste, which has a huge environmental impact. But we can all be better at it, and during Recycle Week we’ll be highlighting the importance of doing our bit – providing advice on what and how to recycle best, exploding some of the myths in the process, with a series of high profile events and activities. I hope as many people as possible will get involved.”
For businesses, local authorities or community groups who want to get involved or host an event, information and support materials are available at http://www.recycleforscotland.com/recycle-week-2016