Local Government Reform - Consultation on Policy Proposals

overarching objective. Community planning would enable councils
to work in partnership with a full range of other sectors, for example
public bodies, businesses, and community and voluntary
organisations. This would facilitate linking the delivery of services in
their districts to provide a joined-up approach to meeting the needs
and aspirations of local communities. The Department proposes
that the community planning process to be introduced would not be
overly prescriptive, to take account of the range of situations that
exist across the region and within individual districts. This would
provide individual councils with the flexibility to act at a local level to
best meet local needs.
6.3. To ensure that councils are placed firmly at the hub of the process,
the Department proposes that they should be required to make
arrangements for community planning. To do this, councils would
be expected to consult and co-operate with all bodies responsible
for providing public services in the district. They would also be
expected to engage with the community and other bodies and
individuals in planning the provision of public services. Councils
would also be required to ensure that their community plans are
reviewed and revised, as appropriate, to meet changing
circumstances and needs in their districts.
Question 36:
Do you agree that councils should lead and facilitate
community planning and that a requirement should be placed
on them to do so?
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