Investment will help deliver ambitious Community Empowerment Strategy
Cllrs Iain McLaren and Ian Dickson helping citizens take control and make decisions for their area to bring lasting improvements.
By Rory Murphy
West Dunbartonshire Council has secured two project workers to help drive forward community empowerment in the area.
The appointments reaffirm the Council’s commitment to delivering real change in communities by helping citizens take control and make decisions for their area to bring lasting improvements.
The Community Empowerment Team will also help and encourage residents of all ages to shape and influence local services and plans for the future of their neighbourhoods, ensuring community ownership and pride.
The permanent appointments will deliver on the Council’s ambitions to encourage residents to participate and engage in community life which can help to address health inequalities; social isolation and loneliness; digital exclusion; anti-social behaviour; low social capital; drug and substance misuse; and education and wealth inequalities.
The Community Empowerment Team’s main focus is supporting improved community pride; individual and community resilience; increased levels of local democracy; improved health and mental health; safer communities; community/participatory budgeting; responsible community asset transfer; community wealth building and volunteering opportunities.
Councillor Ian Dickson, Convener of Corporate Services, said: “Empowering our communities has never been so important as now as we look to recover from the Covid pandemic. It is vital that our citizens are at the forefront of that recovery, helping to shape their future and that of their neighbourhoods. The pandemic has brought out the very best in our communities, so many people stepped forward to help and we need to build on that. These positions will help drive forward this important piece of work. This is an opportunity for West Dunbartonshire’s communities and citizens, the Council and Community Planning partners to work together to transform West Dunbartonshire’s neighbourhoods – by empowering communities.”
Councillor Iain McLaren, said: “We want residents to be proud of their community and this is an important part of this strategy which encourages residents to take ownership of their areas. We also want to work with residents to increase confidence, reduce loneliness and improve people’s health and wellbeing. The additional two members of staff will help drive that agenda in bringing opportunities to help citizens to feel the benefits of being more active in community life and make sure public services reflect the needs of the residents.”
The SNP Council couldn’t spell “Community Empowerment” let alone draw up a strategy to implement it. The Community Empowerment Act was their flagship policy when they were elected 4 years ago in 2017 yet there is no community or Council structure in place, 4 years on, to give communities real power to influence/shape real accountability and democratic change which is needed in our housing estates and wider communities. An example is the Alexandria Town Centre Forum (ATCF) which was supposed to be a partnership which included local groups, local traders and the Council to play a part in the Master Plan for Alexandria Town Centre. It has turned out to be an unaccountable talking shop which doesn’t even take minutes at it’s meetings. The local community have been side lined from the process. The two officers being employed should be employed and answerable to local groups not the Council if we are serious about allowing local democracy and accountability to thrive and grow.
Couldn’t agree more Jim.
Total and utter spin.
A couple of non jobs set up that will deliver nothing.
Reading this empty hollow spin issued ostensibly by two senior councilors, but without doubt written for them by their council officer masters, makes ones blood boil.
It continues to be senior officers who run the Council.