Review of Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils
Argyll and Bute Council · 19 May 2022
Back to Argyll and Bute Council — 19 May 2022 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COUNCIL LEGAL AND REGULATORY SUPPORT 19 MAY 2022 PROPOSAL TO REVIEW THE SCHEME FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS IN ARGYLL AND BUTE: PHASE ONE FEEDBACK 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Council agreed at the meeting on 22 February 2022 to conduct an 8 week public consultation which set out suggested amendments to the current Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in Argyll and Bute. The consultation period ended on 22 April 2022 and the feedback received is outlined at Appendix 1, along with commentary from Officers as to whether the feedback received should be progressed as part of a stage 2 phase of consultation. While the response levels received are low, the changes proposed were minimal and there has been some verbal feedback given that the proposed amendments are generally satisfactory to community councils. It is disappointing to note that the revised National Model Scheme has still not been approved, however, to ensure our local framework is in place prior to the community council elections scheduled for 20 October 2022, the second stage of the consultation should commence, as planned, no later than 27 May 2022. Council is therefore invited to approve the suggested revisions to the proposed amended local Scheme (as detailed in Appendix 1) and to instruct officers to commence a stage 2 consultation with community councils, and the public, on these revisions. The Council is reminded that the timescales for the full review are aligned with the approved election date for the quadrennial elections, and as such will see an 8 week phase 2 consultation, followed by a report on the final Amended Scheme being brought back to the Policy & Resources Committee, on 18 August 2022. As with the stage one consultation, there are no implications for the council in terms of the suggested amendments as proposals to amend are consistent with the legal requirements to review an existing Scheme.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL COUNCIL LEGAL AND REGULATORY SUPPORT 19 MAY 2022 PROPOSAL TO REVIEW THE SCHEME FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNITY COUNCILS IN ARGYLL AND BUTE: PHASE ONE FEEDBACK 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report updates the Council on feedback received following an 8 week public consultation on the proposals to amend our local Scheme the Establishment of Community Councils and suggests further amendments based on feedback received. If agreed, a further public consultation will be on the basis of updated proposals outlined in Appendix 1. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 That the Council agrees to the changes proposed within Appendix 1 and that these changes form the basis of an 8 week, phase two consultation with community councils, and the public. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 Phase one of the consultation process was carried out between 25 February and 22 April 2022. During the first consultation phase of consultation 7 responses were received regarding the suggested amendments to the Scheme. These are summarised in Appendix 1, together with feedback as to whether or not suggestions could or should be progressed. 4.2 As of the date of writing the report there is no information forthcoming regarding the proposed revisions to the National Model Scheme and an enquiry has been made via the Improvement Services as to the status of the review process. While
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it would have been desirable to base revisions on the new National Model, there is no obligation to do so and it may jeopardise our own timetable to delay the process given there is no indication of when this might become available. On this basis the suggestion is that the second stage of review is launched prior to 27 May 2022, to ensure all stages of review can conclude prior to this year’s elections. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 Having concluded the first phase of consultation to amend the current local Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils, Council is invited to consider the feedback received, agree the proposed amendments suggested at Appendix 1, and instruct officers to undertake a second stage of consultation over an 8 week period. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy - None 6.2 Financial – None, no request for the council to review the current grant level has been received during the first phase of consultation 6.3 Legal – Proposals are consistent with the Local Government Act (Scotland) Act 1973 6.4 HR – None, the review will be conducted from within existing staff resource. 6.5 Fairer Scotland Duty: 6.5.1 Equalities - protected characteristics - None 6.5.2 Socio-economic Duty - None 6.5.3 Islands - None 6.6 Climate Change - None 6.7 Risk - None 6.8 Customer Service - None Douglas Hendry Executive Director with responsibility for Community Council Governance 10 May 2022 For further information contact: David Logan, Head of Legal & Regulatory Support, Kilmory, Lochgilphead – 01546 604322 APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Phase One Feedback & Officer Response and recommendations