There is currently what is called “A national conversation on local democracy and community power” being conducted by the Scottish Government under the heading “Democracy Matters – Your Community, Your Ideas, Your Future”. It sounds good, we can all identify with it can’t we? Perhaps, if the initiative leads to regional councils not only listening to communities more, but more importantly demonstrating this by their actions, then it will have been worthwhile. This, we are told is to empower us to shape our own futures.

In a previous article, I described how the Community Trust (PCT) and the Community Council (PCC), and others are sounding out the community and drafting a Community Action Plan and Place Plan. We are doing our bit. It remains to be seen how well Scottish Borders Council (SBC) buy in to it. Although we do see more engagement than before it will still mark a major change if we are finally seen to work closely together for the community good.

One problem that we have, is that few in the community appear interested in joining with PCC, or PCT, or indeed many voluntary organisations. Not just in Peebles, but anywhere. Community spirit is waning, insularity is growing, and engagement is weak. We in the PCC often hear, when in casual conversation, how we are making a positive contribution to the town. We are contacted numerous times each month to help support planning applications or to join in objecting to them. We are asked to help intercede with SBC if someone has a problem or to lend support to an issue such as putting pressure on policing, asking for changes to the High School design, keeping the problem of flooding alive, or getting the streets tidied up. The list is endless. However, when it came to asking for views on the draft Community Action and Place Plans in the article mentioned, there were no responses to our request for feedback and our efforts to publicise them. This makes it difficult for PCC to truly represent your views. We receive very few complaints, but when we do, often the accusation is of a lack of democracy. However, without engagement there is no democracy!

This takes us back to the National Conversation. Whilst we know that there are some community councils who would quite happily be directly responsible for say 10% of their councils’ services and where some third sector organisations have the infrastructure to take on more responsibilities, this is certainly not the case for all. We can only look at it from our own perspective. Our town Action Plan is down to one well qualified individual. Without him, it would not fly. PCC is made up of some retirees, but also working people with jobs, families, and commitments and retirees have their own responsibilities too. Taking on additional work is not an option and anyway taking on responsibilities for public money comes with serious accountability. There would be a need for offices and secretarial support, etc. In effect, we would have re-introduced Town Councils. How many would volunteer to work for nothing and be publicly accountable? If skills were needed to manage this new community power, how would they be recruited and managed? how efficient would it be? To this writer, for our own community it won’t work, at least, not for now.

We believe that community councils are necessary to provide a link between the service provider, SBC, and the community. SBC councillors are also part of this interface, but they are few, part time, and not well remunerated. They do their best.

PCC needs you; it needs your views and if you have skills, you think we can use please contact Anne Snoddy secretary@ccrbpeebles.co.uk

Peter Maudsley

Chair

Peebles and District Community Council