Community Participation Requests
Background and Support
The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (“the Act”) aims to enhance community involvement in community planning by a number of means including the creation of new opportunities for influencing public service provision and decision-making.
The spirit of the Act is one of improving outcomes for communities, encouraging and promoting dialogue, tackling inequalities, and supporting the increased participation of those whose voices are less heard or who face additional barriers.
Part 3 of the Act (Participation Requests) is focused on extending and improving community participation in improving outcomes for communities. The Act enables communities to request to participate in decisions and processes which are aimed at improving outcomes. Under section 22 of the Act a community participation body may make such a request to a public service authority to permit the body to participate in an outcome improvement process.
Public service authorities must then publish in a Decision Notice the decision it has taken in respect of any such request.
Support and Advice
The Comhairle is happy to discuss prospective applications with groups prior to a formal submission.
Contact
We welcome requests from community bodies to participate in decisions and processes that are aimed at improving outcomes. Please send your request to:
Tim Langley, Head of Law and Governance
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Sandwick Road
Stornoway
HS1 2BW
Tel. : 01851 822 604
e-Mail : tim.langley@cne-siar.gov.uk
Community Participation Requests
2018 – Families Into Sport for Health (“FiSH”)
Wednesday, 07 February 2018, 09:39
Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 : Comhairle Agrees To FiSH’s Request To Participate In An Outcome Improvement Process.
Pursuant to regulation 8 of the Participation Request (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2017/39 the Comhairle is obliged to publish the following Decision Notice in respect of a Participation Request made under section 22 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015:
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 2015
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION REQUEST DECISION NOTICE
Community participation body: Families into Sport for Health (“FiSH”)
Public service authority: Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (“the Comhairle”)
Date of community participation request: 21 December 2017
Date of decision notice: 6 February 2018
The Comhairle agrees to FiSH’s request to participate in an outcome improvement process.
In its request FiSH stated: “the outcome that FiSH would like considered is improved and equitable access to recreational facilities for the health and wellbeing of families, especially children. The output we would like considered to improve this outcome is improved access to the Ionad Spors Leodhais (ISL) by adding a minimum of 5 hours on Sundays for a six month trial period”.
An outcome improvement process has been established in respect of that outcome. The Quality of Life Priority Group (“the Group”) of the Outer Hebrides Community Planning Partnership (“OHCPP”) has the remit of producing an action plan in relation to the third priority of the OHCPP’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan (“LOIP”), namely that the Outer Hebrides offers attractive opportunities that improve the quality of life, wellbeing and health of all our people.
The Group proposes to develop a whole-life physical activity, sport and health strategy to achieve the LOIP outcome of increased levels of physical activity and mental wellbeing for children and young people. It is intended that this work will commence in March 2018. It is anticipated that the Group will recommend to OHCPP’s board in March 2018 that this be prioritised as a year-one target of the LOIP. It is expected that FiSH will have an opportunity to participate in the process by being consulted for its views on the strategy.