Hi Everyone!!!
Last month a community councillor asked me if there was an organisation behind the survey. The answer is yes and no. To begin with, it was just me (using survey software that I have used for many years). However, now there are 35 community councils promoting the survey in their local area. So, could we call this a coalition?
Ok, that’s maybe a bit of a stretch, but it raises an important question – do we need a formal coalition for Scotland’s community councils? To answer it, we need to look carefully at previous attempts to form and sustain a national coalition.
Association of Scottish Community Councils
According to Professor Google, the ASCC was formed in the late 1970s, shortly after the creation of community councils. It folded in April 2012, blaming underfunding by the Scottish Government.
Scottish Forum of Community Councils
2 years ago, some community councillors from West Lothian tried to set up a new coalition; the Scottish Forum of Community Councils. I wrote to them a couple of times last year, in the hope that they would work with me on the survey but got no reply. Recently the Scottish Community Alliance told me “..they still exist but have temporarily paused formal activity.”
Conclusions?
Establishing and sustaining a national alliance has proved difficult, if not impossible. The reason, I believe, is that Scotland’s 1,059 community councils have zero power. Multiply zero power by 1,059 and you still have zero power.
Therefore the only rational reason to form an alliance at this stage is to gather evidence that our communities are no longer content to be the most powerless of any Western democracy. If this is indeed what the survey shows (early results indicate this) it will put us in a strong position with the Scottish Government.
If your community council wishes to join the survey, just let me know and I will send links for you to publicise locally.
Lastly, here is the link to see the survey report from Strathard Community Council - https://reporting.alchemer.com/r/412325_69c171cc048406.59178422.
Best wishes,
Michael
Michael Gallagher
New Powers for Scotland's Community Councils? (Facebook group)
Scotland's Community Councillors Chewin' The Fat (website)
Last month a community councillor asked me if there was an organisation behind the survey. The answer is yes and no. To begin with, it was just me (using survey software that I have used for many years). However, now there are 35 community councils promoting the survey in their local area. So, could we call this a coalition?
Ok, that’s maybe a bit of a stretch, but it raises an important question – do we need a formal coalition for Scotland’s community councils? To answer it, we need to look carefully at previous attempts to form and sustain a national coalition.
Association of Scottish Community Councils
According to Professor Google, the ASCC was formed in the late 1970s, shortly after the creation of community councils. It folded in April 2012, blaming underfunding by the Scottish Government.
Scottish Forum of Community Councils
2 years ago, some community councillors from West Lothian tried to set up a new coalition; the Scottish Forum of Community Councils. I wrote to them a couple of times last year, in the hope that they would work with me on the survey but got no reply. Recently the Scottish Community Alliance told me “..they still exist but have temporarily paused formal activity.”
Conclusions?
Establishing and sustaining a national alliance has proved difficult, if not impossible. The reason, I believe, is that Scotland’s 1,059 community councils have zero power. Multiply zero power by 1,059 and you still have zero power.
Therefore the only rational reason to form an alliance at this stage is to gather evidence that our communities are no longer content to be the most powerless of any Western democracy. If this is indeed what the survey shows (early results indicate this) it will put us in a strong position with the Scottish Government.
If your community council wishes to join the survey, just let me know and I will send links for you to publicise locally.
Lastly, here is the link to see the survey report from Strathard Community Council - https://reporting.alchemer.com/r/412325_69c171cc048406.59178422.
Best wishes,
Michael
Michael Gallagher
New Powers for Scotland's Community Councils? (Facebook group)
Scotland's Community Councillors Chewin' The Fat (website)