Consultation On The Proposed Community Empowerment - Scottish ...

“There is a raft of guidance, standards and requirements for
different public sector organisations both individually (e.g.
NHS specific), generically (all public sector, e.g. planning
guidance) or for partnerships (e.g. community planning).
This includes requirements for engagement on specific
issues, service change and service delivery. Greater clarity
of the duties and balance between recommendations,
guidance, standards and specific legislative duties would be
helpful.”
(NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde)
3.22 A small number of respondents (largely from community councils, individuals
and some other community organisations) said that they were not aware of what
all the duties were and therefore did not feel able to comment on the question.
“Firstly, we recognised that most of our Commissioners do not
know what these ‘existing duties’ are – and that in itself is
problematic. It means that public sector partners can often hide
behind such duties.”
(Poverty Truth Commission)
3.23 Community planning partnerships and local authorities tended to be more
positive about the appropriateness of the existing duties, however many
recognised that they could and should be strengthened in light of the findings of
the Christie Commission and also the recent review of Community Planning by
Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.
3.24 Education Scotland commented that the current duties to engage with
communities were useful and important, however there was significant scope for
making them more effective by being more specific about the expected
outcomes of engagement.
3.25 Some local authorities highlighted that the current legislation covering
Community Planning (Local Government Scotland Act 2003) places the duty to
engage on local authorities but not their partners, which made it easier for
partners to opt out of engagement. West Lothian Council suggested that there
should be a strengthened duty for all partners to work together to achieve local
outcomes.
“.... the existing duties do not extend to Community Planning
partners and this may be an appropriate next step. The
extension of the duties would enable partnerships to move
towards the model of public sector provision (greater
partnership working informed by community participation)
that has been defined within the Christie Commission report.”
(East Renfrewshire Council)
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