Consultation On The Proposed Community Empowerment - Scottish ...

3.73 Scottish Borders Council highlighted that its TSI - Borders Third Sector
Partnership – played a key role in organising representation of the interests of
the third sector in the community planning process. Through this and other
community capacity building support for individual third sector organisations, it
is well placed to further develop the participation of communities in the
Community Planning process. Local authorities provided other examples of
good practice in relation to TSIs.
3.74 Glasgow Housing Association commented that although the TSI is relatively
new in Glasgow it appeared to be working well. As a third sector organisation, it
believed that third sector organisations did have a key role to play in engaging
communities of ‘interest’ and ‘geography’ in the Community Planning process.
3.75 The Scottish Community Development Centre provided an alternative view
stating that although the recently established TSIs provided a clear platform for
third sector representation, their effectiveness would be conditioned by the
relationships the representatives had with their local constituencies and their
level of capacity to represent a range of views and priorities.
3.76 In contrast, a number of respondents (particularly community councils,
individuals and other community organisations) were more sceptical about the
role of the third sector in supporting the participation of communities in the
community planning process. It was clear from these responses that
respondents had quite different views on what they understood the third sector
to be.
3.77 A number of respondents (particularly among other community organisations)
felt that the third sector was too ‘diverse’ and ‘disparate’ and could not be
expected to represent the ‘voice’ of the community. In this respect, some
respondents underlined the importance of ensuring accountability to the wider
community (geographical or interest) is evidenced.
“The ‘third sector’ is multi-faceted in character and third sector
organisations range from small community groups to large,
national charities. As such the idea of having a ‘third sector’
representative within Community Planning structures is unlikely to
deliver an expanded role for third sector and community
organisations in the future delivery of public services.”
(Development Trusts Association Scotland)
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