Community Empowerment and the Scottish Government

Ian Turner Head of Community Empowerment

Programme for Government Our ambition is for Scotland to be a country where every person, regardless of circumstances: Has the right to take part in debating and shaping the society that we live in and the decisions we take. Can influence the decisions that affect them and their families and can trust in the decisions the people they elect make on their behalf. Has opportunities and support to lead their own change, with others and on their own. Has a voice in their local community and be able to play their part in making it a sustainable and enjoyable place to live.

Christie Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services effective services must be designed with and for people and communities work closely with individuals and communities to understand their needs, maximise talents and resources, support self reliance, and build resilience embed community participation in the design and delivery of services prevention and tackling inequalities are key

Why Co-production? Because you get a better result if you involve people Why Assets? Because building on strengths works better than compensating for weaknesses. Why Improvement? Small-scale tests of change - measure the success of these - scaling up where tests show positive results.

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 Legal framework that will empower community bodies through the ownership of land and buildings and strengthen their voices in the decisions that matter to them. Also cements the focus on achieving outcomes and tackling inequalities.

Community ownership Asset transfer – right to request public sector land and buildings where community can make better use of them. Community right to buy – extended to urban areas. Right to buy abandoned, neglected and detrimental land without a willing seller. Supporter involvement and potential right to buy football clubs.

Participation Community planning must involve community bodies at all stages Participation requests – community body to put forward proposals to improve outcome of a public service, on their own terms Participation in public decision-making – power for Ministers to make regulations

Outcomes and inequality Scottish Ministers required to set outcomes, public services required to have regard to them Community planning to focus on achieving locally determined outcomes and reducing inequalities Participation requests focus on outcomes Inequalities to be considered in participation requests, asset transfer and allotments / food- growing strategy.

Funding Empowering Communities Fund - £20m each year projects by community organisations to promote inclusion and tackle poverty developing community organisations to become more resilient and sustainable anchors supporting PB & charettes developing community leaders peer-to-peer skills and learning exchange etc…

Participatory Budgeting “local people having direct decision-making powers over part of a public budget” Can develop engagement, confidence and capacity Accesses local knowledge and addresses local concerns and priorities Builds understanding of difficult decisions SG providing consultancy support for 20 LAs undertaking PB in 2015/16

Are Councils Engaged? January 2015 to Date PB Consultancy Support SG Part Funded 20 Local Authorities in 2015/16 Glasgow Edinburgh Fife Midlothian West Lothian North Ayrshire East Ayrshire South Ayrshire Angus Aberdeen Aberdeenshire Perth & Kinross Argyll & Bute West Dunbartonshire South Lanarkshire Highlands Western Isles Moray Shetlands Orkney

Any Support Tools? January 2015 to Date

PB Website Live PBScotland.scot

PB DIGITAL TOOLS Democratic Society exploring digital tools to support PB Funded by the Scottish Government

Evaluation and Impact SG Funding a two year PB Social Research Programme Impact on Communities, Services and Democracy Relationship between PB and Inequalities Informs developing national policy

Building Capacity Investigating a Learning Programme for Scotland PB Expertise locally available Sustainability

PB is here to stay! A STRONGER SCOTLAND THE GOVERNMENT’S PROGRAMME FOR SCOTLAND (1 September 2015) “ We want to ensure the momentum to increase participation and involvement in decision making is maintained. To make that happen we will work with local authorities to develop and pilot council-wide participatory budgeting processes. This will mean that local people will take more decisions about a larger proportion of available budgets”.

Community organisers Empowering Communities Fund Workforce: Skilled Worker, Skilled Citizen Community organisers Empowering Communities Fund Workforce: Skilled Worker, Skilled Citizen Strengthening our Communities Cities Commission on Local Tax Reform Islands Land Reform Travelling Cabinets Cities Commission on Local Tax Reform Islands Land Reform Travelling Cabinets Reform Programmes e.g. Raising Attainment; Health & Social Care Fairer Scotland Health And Social Care: Transformational Change Plan NPF Refresh Unconventional Oil and Gas Fairer Scotland Health And Social Care: Transformational Change Plan NPF Refresh Unconventional Oil and Gas Asset Transfer Public participation Rights for communities Asset Transfer Public participation Rights for communities Enabling Communities Turning Community Empowerment Act into practical action National Participation Programmes to signal listening government Developing Strategy & Programmes for long term change Rebalancing power – structural levers Building the capability, collaboration & creativity of People

What can CLD do? The Act must reach those who are not already empowered Building capacity, leadership & sustainability Awareness of rights & available mechanisms