Dear members and friends,

Scottish Government has decided – confusingly – that community empowerment is not part of Third Sector activity, but part of its Housing and Regeneration Division. What was previously the Community Engagement section in Communities Scotland now leads on community empowerment – and they have awarded LPL a one off grant to help us establish a much more sustainable presence and step up the level of our activities.
Pauline Smith (DTAS Board member)
Convener LPL Steering Group
Email: briefings@localpeopleleading.co.uk

Briefings


Community takes complaint to ombudsman
13 Aug 2008


Dunoon and District Allotment Association have been trying since 2005 to make Argyll and Bute Council fulfil its statutory obligation to make land available for allotments. Alan Watterson who founded the group says there is no lack of demand in the town. 'People in the town are crying out for allotments, but so far we have been banging our heads against a brick wall,' he said...more

National Standards for Community Engagement (NSCE)
13 Aug 2008


LPL’s opinion of the NSCE is that they don’t set the bar high enough. The independent evaluation of the NSCE, by Clear Plan (UK) Ltd, gives them only a lukewarm endorsement. A letter last week from Scottish Government’s Regeneration people makes it clear that their use is to be promoted to Community Planning Partnerships. Letter and extract from evaluation...more

Community fight to save local family resource
13 Aug 2008


The Broxburn Family Centre has played a vital role over the years in supporting local families and their children. When the Centre’s landlords gave them notice to quit because they wanted to build flats on the site, it provoked an angry response from the Centre’s users and from across all sections of the community...more

Learning from Democracy
13 Aug 2008


'Ordinary people need the opportunity to have their say, to be listened to and to talk back to the state. This is essentially a democratic process – it cannot simply be managed and measured'. This is a quote from 'Learning for Democracy'; Ten Propositions and Ten Proposals from a group of pro democracy activists....more

Forres community calls in the Audit Commission
13 Aug 2008


Moray Council have been accused by Forres Community Council of mismanaging the Common Good and not keeping proper records of any disposals of Common Good assets in the past. The community representatives have been unhappy with the information provided by council officials and have asked the Audit Commission to investigate...more

LPL Community Empowerment Wish List
13 Aug 2008


Scottish Government has decided to shape its Community Empowerment Action Plan in the context of a joint working group with COSLA – on which LPL is represented. We have been invited to present to that group our own preferred Action Plan...more

Stonehouse aims to brighten its image
13 Aug 2008


Major new funding has been awarded to the Stonehouse community in South Lanarkshire which will allow them to create a new community garden right in the heart of the village. Local groups have come together to design plans to give the village a complete overhaul and this funding will allow Phase 1 to be completed...more

The Community Development Challenge
13 Aug 2008


At the heart of ‘community development’ practice is a set of values about equality – justice – collective working – political awareness etc. Community engagement practice is less ambitious or radical. Practitioners will want to check out this summary of a report from the Community Development Foundation...more

Castlemilk community lends a hand
13 Aug 2008


A community group in Falkirk has set its sights on transforming a disused stable block and some outbuildings of the historic house at Callander Park into a multi purpose community owned facility. The Cassiltoun Trust from Castlemilk have offered their assistance...more
13 Aug 2008

Civic society can be understood as the local state – where citizens join school and health boards, community planning partnerships etc. Civil society is where citizens undertake voluntary action not under the direction of any authority wielding the power of the state. David Cameron, Tory Leader, in a recent speech seems to understand the difference...more


Featured anchor organisation: Muirkirk Enterprise Group

Muirkirk is a rural village set in the border of East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. At one time Muirkirk was a hive of industry with coalmining, rail connections and ironworks. But the end of the mining industry resulted in widespread unemployment and the village was rated as one of the most deprived areas of Scotland by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2003...more

For definition of Anchor Organisation http://www.localpeopleleading.co.uk/anchordef.php

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