Clackmannanshire Council Online

Innovations Agreed to Empower our Communities

A number of innovations and changes have been agreed by Council yesterday (22 August) to enhance community empowerment and enable improved access to services for our communities.

In line with the Council’s vision values and priorities, a key strand of our organisational transformation programme Be the Future seeks to empower our communities, working more effectively in partnership with communities and groups.  As part of this work to empower families and communities, placing them at the heart of service design and decision making, a number of changes for a trial period have been approved including:

• Allowing the transfer of the booking and income of sports pitches  next to community run facilities to recognised community groups, delivering a more joined up approach and increased community empowerment
• Remove the need for bond fees for community councils and development trusts, on the basis that it is in the interests of both parties that the value of parks is maintained
• Flexibility to provide a dynamic pricing approach for indoor sports, conference and meeting facilities, allowing targeting campaigns where the fees of a facility not already booked can be reduced by up to 50% within specific time frames
• A clear policy position on concessionary rates for events where a non commercial group can demonstrate any funds raised in connection with an event are returned to directly benefit the community
• A change to the Community Empowerment Fund to allow applications for funding from constituted community groups who have taken on the running of properties still owned by the Council. In addition, applications will be allowed from constituted community groups to upgrade poorly used or surplus former Council leisure or community facilities to allow them to take over the management via a lease or Community Asset Transfer

Council has also agreed, following informal consultation, the awarding of a £30,000 fund to support community groups that have taken over running community facilities.  To assist fledgling groups with developing projects and initial cash flow for items such as utility bills and minor repairs, £6,000 each will be awarded to Alva Development Trust (Cochrane Hall), Clackmannan Town Hall Trust (former Clackmannan CAP), Tullibody Community Development Trust (Tullibody Civic Centre), Dollar Development Trust (Dollar Civic Centre) and Menstrie Community Action Group (Dumyat Centre).

Cllr Helen Lewis, Spokesperson for Partnership & Third Sector said: “These changes to the way the Council works alongside our communities is a welcome milestone in our journey towards empowering our families, a key part of our transformation programme Be the Future.  I’m very impressed with all that community groups have already achieved, and we’re committed to continuing to providing practical help so that we can work together to improve the lives of everyone in Clackmannanshire.”