Community Councils were the focus of attention at the Scottish Parliament on 23rd May, when the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee took evidence from a range of witnesses.
Community councillors from across Scotland took part in a roundtable discussion with MSPs, talking about their achievements and success stories as well as the problems they have faced and how they would like to see Community Councils change in the future.
Representatives from Moray, South Lanarkshire, Clackmannanshire, West Lothian, Edinburgh, Shetland and Aberdeenshire Community Councils gave evidence, alongside Debra Duke, Community Council Liaison Officer (CCLO) in Moray, who also worked as a Parish Council clerk in England, and was able to provide valuable insight on the differences between the two systems.
The first panel featured representatives from the Improvement Service and SCDC, as well as Public Policy lecturer Dr Oliver Escobar and Jackie Weaver, who found fame thanks to her firm handling of an online Parish Council meeting during the pandemic. The Committee were keen to hear about how Community Councils operate, and what needs to change to make them more representative and more effective in the future.
You can watch the whole evidence session on Scottish Parliament TV.