DUMFRIES and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee will convene on Tuesday 7 March and will be asked to agree the Community Participation and Engagement Strategy.
Councillors will receive a report detailing how national commitments and the recently introduced Community Empowerment Act have increased our Council’s focus in ensuring that communities across Dumfries and Galloway have opportunities to have their voices heard. In the latter part of last year, a review into the effectiveness of our Council’s public involvement arrangements was carried out, and findings were reported to Full Council. This review has been a key driver in the development of this new strategy coming into force.
The new strategy will focus in on eight objectives that will seek to ensure that our Council’s decision making processes are accessible and understandable, as well as increasing opportunities for individuals and communities to participate and engage directly with our Council and our Councillors. We will provide support to those who struggle to get their voices heard and the quality of our engagement will also improve thanks to the implementation of this strategy. All of these changes will be carried out in an effective and efficient way, that’ll make best use of council resources.
Committee will also hear that a framework will be agreed and implemented, that’ll include those individuals and organisations who struggle to have their collective voices heard. This framework will allow our Council to put our commitment of giving communities greater influence into practice.
Chairman of the Communities Committee, Councillor Tom McAughtrie said of the report;
“This is a well written and timely report that’ll be brought before members. We are committed to working with communities, either as individuals or collectively in larger groups, to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard. This strategy will provide crystal clear guidance for both our Council and the public as to how we will achieve this. I look forward to my fellow elected members endorsing the strategy at committee.”
The full report can be viewed HERE
