The Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will visit Ferguslie Park in Renfrewshire next Monday (6th February) to meet with Engage Renfrewshire, a Third Sector Interface, which supports local charities and other not-for-profit groups, as part of an inquiry into Community Planning.
In November 2022, the Committee launched a new inquiry into Part 2 of the Community Empowerment Act (2015), which changed how community planning is delivered by Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs).
Community Planning aims to improve how organisations such as local government, health boards, and the police work together with other partners to improve local outcomes in an area.
CPPs exist in every local authority to identify priorities, share resources to deliver services for people and are tasked with developing Local Outcomes Improvement Plans and targeted ‘locality plans’ for smaller areas which need more support.
Partners also must work with communities to involve them in community planning.
The Committee held a call for views between November 2022 and January 2023 and will go on to take evidence from stakeholders before sending a report to the Scottish Government in the spring, outlining its findings and recommendations.
Ahead of the visit, Committee Convener, Ariane Burgess MSP said: “Hearing directly from people in Renfrewshire involved in the local Community Planning Partnership will greatly improve our understanding of the impact of these partnerships and how they are helping to support communities across Scotland.
“Our inquiry is looking at the impact of the Community Empowerment Act on community planning and how CPPs have been able to respond to significant events such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the current cost-of-living crisis.
“Throughout this inquiry, we will seek to hear directly from organisations involved in Community Planning Partnerships, such as those we will meet in Fergulsie Park as well as communities and individuals from across Scotland about the impact the Partnerships have had.”
The Committee will hold meetings with Engage Renfrewshire in Ferguslie Park to learn more about the background to CPP operations in Renfrewshire, the Forum for Empowering Communities and examples of local partnership working.
Following this the Committee will visit the Tannahill Centre for an overview of local services delivered as part of the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Approach and Winter Connection Programme.
Commenting, Dr Alan McNiven, Chief Executive of Engage Renfrewshire, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Local Government Housing and Planning Committee to Renfrewshire as part of their review of Community Planning.
“Community Planning can be challenging but it’s an approach which can provide Third Sector organisations with the opportunity to establish a strong working partnership with the Public Sector – and in our experience partnership working often creates a great environment for delivering better local outcomes.”