Consultation On The Proposed Community Empowerment - Scottish ...

Audit Scotland indicated that community participation and engagement were
important strands of the audit framework but, with a move towards a more risk based
and proportionate approach to audit, it would be difficult to justify making community
participation a more significant part of their audit work.
Named Officer
Community councils, and Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and their
representative bodies, were generally in favour of public sector authorities having a
named officer responsible for community participation to act as the principal point of
contact for communities. Many felt that this would simplify and improve
communications and, if at a senior level, help to promote positive cultural change
within public authorities.
However, local authorities and others broadly disagreed. Many felt that a lot of
strands of their activities involve community participation and that this should not be
the responsibility of one individual.
Tenants’ Right to Manage
Although numbers responding were relatively low, a small majority favoured the
Scottish Government doing more to promote the use of the existing tenant
management rights as contained within the Housing (Scotland) 2001 Act, or
amending the existing legislation to make it easier for tenants groups to manage
housing services in their areas. These respondents felt that this would give tenants
a greater sense of ownership and control and more influence in decision making.
However, many respondents did not favour these proposals and felt that there was
no evidence of demand from tenants. A number of respondents drew attention to
the new Scottish Social Housing Charter which they felt offered an additional
opportunity to enhance tenant participation, and ensure that tenants are involved in
decisions that affect their housing services.
Community Service Delivery
Respondents were asked whether current processes could be improved to give
community groups better access to public service delivery contracts. There was
significant support for this proposal among respondents who expressed a view.
The most common theme to be raised was in relation to procurement. Many felt that
current procurement procedures often acted as a barrier. Some felt that the matter
should be dealt with as part of the Scottish Government’s planned Procurement
Reform Bill. Other respondents (particularly community and third sector
organisations) felt that the scale of public sector contracts could also act as a barrier.
There was a degree of support among some respondents for community groups
having a greater say in the design and management of local services rather than
delivering them directly. There was also support for communities having the right to
challenge service provision if they were not satisfied as a way of making service
providers more accountable.
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