What are Community Councils?
Community councils are the most local tier of statutory representation in Scotland. They bridge the gap between local authorities and communities, and help to make public bodies aware of the opinions and needs of the communities they represent.
Their primary purpose is to ascertain and express the views of the community to the local authority and other public bodies. Many community councils also involve themselves in a wide range of other activities including fundraising, organising community events, undertaking environmental and educational projects and much more.
There are currently around 1200 community councils in Scotland, all composed of elected volunteers from the community.
Community Council legislation
Community councils were created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The Act required local authorities to introduce community council schemes for their area outlining various arrangements including elections, meetings, boundaries, and finance. Local authorities have the freedom to tailor schemes to the particular circumstances of their area.
Local authorities and other bodies consult with community councils on issues affecting the community. These issues depend to a large extent on what is important to each community, however local authorities are required to consult community councils on planning applications and involve them in the Community Planning process.
National Association of Community Councils
Many community councils are members of the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC). The objectives of this organisation are to promote community councils, provide advice and to represent their interests at a national level. The ASCC is funded by the Scottish Executive and is composed of elected representatives from community councils. Further information and contact details can be found on the ASCC website