The Edinburgh Association of Community Councils held its ninth AGM on 21 June, and Spurtle acquired the draft minutes on the last day of the month (see Extras 1.7.10).
Described by one who attended as a 'sparky, contentious, but very interesting meeting', it was significant for the fact that both CC participants and City councillors acknowledged during its course that the EACC is becoming more active and important in the process of local government. There are strong indications that it will become involved in discussions at a strategic level over the next 12 months, with a consequent requirement to consult both individual community councillors and the communities they represent on a wider variety of issues.
One does not have to read too carefully between the lines of the minutes to spot three trends which are likely to result:
- Community councils will need to redouble their efforts to consult and accurately reflect the views of those in their areas, particularly young people (conspicuously absent at present).
- Some neighbourhood partnerships must do a great deal more to consult and inform their community councils than they have done so far.
- Some City councillors are going to have to pay more attention to community councils' views and spend less time scoring political points.
There are interesting times ahead, on which we will report in due course.