Published on:
13
August 2012
Notices about forthcoming community council elections are going up at key community locations throughout Clackmannanshire inviting residents to make nominations to their community councils.
All the current members of six of Clackmannanshire's community councils are standing down at these elections.
They are Alva, Clackmannan, Dollar, Menstrie, and Tullibody Cambus and Glenochil each with 14 vacancies and Muckhart with 12 vacancies.
These elections come as the Scottish Government is looking at ways of strengthening and developing Community Councils across Scotland to build their resilience and capacity, in order to enhance their role as the voice of their communities.
Public participation in community councils is all the more crucial at the moment as the Scottish Government explores the possibility of changing legislation to bring community councils further into the design and delivery of public services locally or even in delivering public services themselves.
Depute Provost, Councillor Donald Balsillie said: "People must realise that we are changing how we do things here to make our democracy more inclusive, and there is going to be much more reliance on community councils to speak for their communities.
"It is important that all residents of Clackmannanshire make sure the people they know to be capable of fulfilling this role on behalf of their communities are on their community council. I would urge you to consider becoming a community councillor yourself or at least to take part in the nomination and election process".
Community councillors need no particular qualifications or background experience, but they must be on the electoral roll for their area.
Everyone who has something to offer to help their community achieve its aspirations, to take the action the residents feel is necessary and influence decisions that affect their area can contribute to the work of their community council. Induction training and support is available.
The community councils are already preparing for the elections.
Muckhart Community Council has recently held an Information Evening to give the people who live in the area an opportunity to meet existing community councillors, discuss informally the work of the Community Council and find out about how to become a community council member.
Jon Jordan, Chair of Muckhart Community Council, said: "Our community council has many achievements which include a key role in the delivery of the Play Park, Muckhart Nature Park, and the pathway to the hills.
"We have also rebuffed a number of unwelcome developments. Recently we carried out a comprehensive survey of what our community wants to see in the village in the future and what it doesn't and the resulting 'Muckhart Area Plan' has helped us in our extensive negotiations with the Council on the Local Development Plan.
"Over the past few years Muckhart Community Council has dealt with a great variety of issues such as speeding, developing our infrastructure and protecting the character of the village.
"We organised the Information Evening because it is important, if Muckhart is going to continue to have an active community council to carry on with this sort of work, that we have a full Community Council of twelve members for Muckhart. The only way to do this is if at least twelve nominations are submitted during the nomination the period."
Nomination forms can be found on www.clacksweb.org.uk or by contacting the Returning Officer's staff, Clackmannanshire Council, Governance Services, Greenfield, Alloa FK10 2AD Telephone: 01259 452266.
The nomination process is simple - just fill out one of our nomination forms and get two people to support you. Anyone who is over the age of 16 and who appears on our electoral roll can stand.
The closing date for receipt of completed nomination forms is 4pm Thursday 6th September 2012.
Information on the role of a Community Councillor and the election process is available on our website at www.clacksweb.org.uk/community councils or by calling 01259 452112 or email adminservices@clacks.gov.uk