Item 5 - Review of Scheme for Establishment of Community Councils
West Dunbartonshire Council · 17 December 2025
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 17 December 2025 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Chief Officer – Regulatory & Regeneration Special Meeting of Council: 17 December 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Review of Scheme for Establishment of Community Councils. 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek agreement to proceed with the Review of the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils (the Scheme) based on the proposed timetable. 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that the Council approves the review to proceed in accordance with the timetable contained in Appendix 1 to this report. 3. Background 3.1 A review of the scheme is a statutory requirement set out in the Local Government Scotland Act 1973 (as amended). The review offers an opportunity for meaningful consultation and community engagement on all aspects of the Scheme while presenting an opportunity to promote and publicise community councils more generally in accordance with the Council’s Community Engagement Strategy. 3.2 The Scheme was last reviewed in 2021/22 and should be reviewed every four years to ensure it is fit for purpose. 4. Main Issues 4.1 West Dunbartonshire Council has 16 community council areas in but only 11 community councils are currently operational, many of which operate with the minimum membership, and some are at risk of dissolution due to the shortage of members. It has been suggested that some community councils should merge or have their boundaries expanded to widen their membership to ensure continuity in the longer term. This will be the basis for the first stage of the consultation referred to in the attached timetable. 4.2 The process for reviewing the Scheme is set out by statute and will take about nine months to complete. An illustrative timetable is contained in the Appendix to this report. The timetable assumes that the process will commence in February 2026 and conclude in October 2026. However, this can be extended, subject to Council approval, if further stages are required. ITEM 5
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4.3 The legislation also requires that the review should be conducted at special meetings of council convened for that purpose and therefore cannot be conducted as part of an ordinary meeting where other items of business are considered. Where possible, special meetings will be called to commence prior to existing ordinary meetings. 4.4 Once the review has concluded, the next step will be to invite nominations from areas where there are no community councils. Existing community councils will continue to operate until the date of the next elections. If the review proceeds as planned and concludes in October 2026 then community council elections could be held in November/December 2026. However, if there is a delay then it is likely that community council elections will need to be postponed until after the local government elections in May 2027. 5. People Implications 5.1 The process will be led by the Council working closely with key community stakeholders including the Community Council Forum. Officers from Legal and Democratic Services will be fully engaged in the process. 6. Financial Implications 6.1 There are no financial implications arising from the consultation but there may be some financial implications from any proposals to be considered in due course. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 Developing and supporting community councils is a key part of the Council’s approach to Community Empowerment, as laid out in the Community Engagement Strategy. Failure to review the Scheme using the correct process could have a negative impact on the reputation of the Council. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 The review will be conducted as an inclusive process involving residents and stakeholders from a variety of equality groups in the area. Equality and accessibility considerations will be taken into account during the process and a full EIA will be presented to Council when considering the final recommendations on the Scheme. 9. Consultation 9.1 Officers from legal and finance have been consulted on the content of this report. 9.2 The review process contains a series of consultations with local residents and stakeholders.
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10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 The review will be carried out in manner which supports the Council Community Empowerment Strategy. Alan Douglas Chief Officer – Regulatory and Regeneration Date: 11 November 2025 Person to Contact: George Hawthorn, Manager, Democratic and Registration Services. Telephone 01389 737204 or e-mail: george.hawthorn@west- dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: 1. Timetable for Review of the Scheme for Establishment for Community Councils. Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All.