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Local Democracy & Community THIS REPORT RELATES STIRLING COUNCIL TO ITEM ON THE AGENDA STIRLING COUNCIL CIVIC SERVICES 7 October 1999 NOT EXEMPT LOCAL DEMOCRACY & COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP EXTENDING AREA FORUM COVERAGE 1 PURPOSE 1.1 To determine the means by which Area Forum coverage will be extended to the whole Stirling Council area. 2 SUMMARY 2.1 In approving its Local Democracy & Community Leadership Strategy, the Council made a commitment to carry out public consultation on the options for including Dunblane, Ashfield and Kinbuck and the North West Highland area within Area Forum coverage. The debate about extending area forum coverage has been ongoing for some time and a wide range of options have been discussed. On 24 June 1999, the Council agreed that the Stirling Assembly be invited to consider the options at its meeting on 11 September 1999. 2.2 Although many views were expressed at the Assembly meeting, no clear conclusion was reached on how coverage should be extended or whether the existing boundaries remained appropriate. As a result, the Assembly agreed that the Assembly Steering Group should meet with representatives of the Community Councils in the Highland Area and Dunblane to discuss the options for Area Forums in those areas with a view to recommendations coming forward to this meeting. 2.3 The Council is now asked to consider how Area Forum coverage should be extended and a number of other issues relating to Area Forums. 3 RECOMMENDATION(S) 3.1 to determine the means by which Area Forum coverage will be extended to the whole Council Area. 3.2 to appoint permanent Chairs of the Area Forums and to determine whether Special Responsibility Allowances should be payable in respect of these appointments; 3.3 to remit to the Chief Executive the appointment of a Lead Director for each Area Forum. 3.4 to establish an Area Forum Co-ordinating Group comprising the Chairs of the Area Forums, the Lead Directors, together with the Director of Civic Services as the Lead Director for the Local Democracy & Community Leadership Strategy; 4 CONSIDERATIONS 4.1 Consultation on the options for extending area forum coverage to the whole of the Council area was completed by the end of November 1998. A household poll in the Dunblane, Ashfield, Kinbuck, Doune and Deanston areas was commissioned to ascertain these communities’ preferred options and public meetings were held in various locations throughout the Council area. The outcome of the consultation was reported to the Resources Committee on 14 January 1999 when it was agreed to defer a decision until after the Council elections in May. 4.2 In the interim, a series of meetings took place with Community Councils to promote the Council’s Local Democracy & Community Leadership Strategy. Feedback from these meetings was considered by Council on 24 June 1999 when it was agreed that the Stirling Assembly be invited to consider the options for extending Area Forum coverage to the whole Council area. 4.3 The Stirling Assembly at its meeting on 11 September 1999 almost unanimously supported the principle of Area Forums. Many views were put forward by those attending the meeting but no firm conclusion was reached on extending Area Forum coverage to the whole of the Council area. The Assembly did agree that the Steering Group should meet with representatives of the Community Councils in the Highland and Dunblane areas to discuss the options. 4.4 The 11 Community Councils affected were invited to send a representative to the Steering Group meeting held on 22 September 1999. Balquhidder, Gartmore, Kilmadock, Callander and Strathfillan Community Councils were represented at the meeting and apologies were received from Trossachs Community Council. Highland Area 4.5 Callander Community Council fully supported the Stirling Assembly but considered that there was no need for an Area Forum in their area as they believe they could achieve the same results with their existing Community Council. The representatives from Balquhidder and Strathfillan Community Councils highlighted the common issues and concerns of the villages in the North West Highland Area (which did not relate to those in Callander) and supported the creation of an Area Forum for the North West Highland area (i.e. everything to the west and north of Callander). 4.6 Gartmore Community Council supported the idea of Aberfoyle, Gartmore and Port of Menteith joining the existing Forth Endrick and Blane Valley Forum. 4.7 All the Community Council representatives highlighted the travel difficulties experienced in the Highland area, especially in inclement weather. It was suggested that holding Forum meetings in the Highland Area on Saturday mornings might alleviate some of the transportation difficulties. The use of video conferencing was also identified as a useful tool in progressing the Local Democracy & Community Leadership Strategy, particularly in the rural areas. Dunblane, Ashfield and Kinbuck 4.8 Dunblane Community Council was not represented at the Assembly Steering Group meeting, but was represented at the Assembly itself when it repeated previous opposition to Area Forums. The residents in Dunblane, Ashfield and Kinbuck were balloted by means of a household poll in December 1988 on two options; an Area Forum based around Doune, Deanston, Dunblane, Ashfield and Kinbuck or the incorporation of Dunblane, Ashfield and Kinbuck in the existing Bridge of Allan, Causewayhead and Logie Area Forum. The result of the poll was a preference for the former option. 4.9 However, a public meeting held in Dunblane on 25 November 1999 expressed a strong preference for an Area Forum for Dunblane, Ashfield and Kinbuck on its own, on the basis that it was a large enough population centre to be treated separately. This conflicts with the Council’s original view that Area Forum boundaries should encompass several Community Council areas. This principle was generally supported in debate at the Stirling Assembly. Doune, Deanston, Thornhill and Blairdrummond 4.10 Kilmadock Community Council (Doune and Deanston) was not convinced of the benefits of an Area Forum but was willing to participate in such a body for a trial period of, for example, one year. Thornhill and Blairdrummond Community Council were not present at the Steering Group meeting but have on several occasions previously expressed their opposition to the idea of an Area Forum. Conclusions and Options 4.11 The debate about extending Area Forum coverage has been on-going for more than a year and whilst the Council would not wish to appear to impose an Area Forum on any community there is a real need to progress this issue. In determining the Area Forum boundaries the Council has to be sensitive to the way in which certain geographical communities identify with others and attempt to reconcile the views of the constituent communities. Equally important is the need to ensure that Area Forum boundaries make sense in terms of management arrangements for delivery of Council Services. 4.12 The Highland area is an extremely large and diverse one and as indicated earlier proposals to establish an Area Forum have met with a variety of responses. The geographical area naturally splits into 3 groupings of Community Councils. Group 1 – Trossachs, Balquhidder, Strathfillan and Killin Community Council areas (i.e. the North West Highland Villages); Group 2 – Gartmore, Port of Menteith and Strathard Community Council areas (i.e. south of the Trossachs and west to Loch Lomond); Group 3 – Callander, Dunblane, Kilmadock and Thornhill and Blairdrummond Community Council areas (i.e. the carseland of the Teith). On balance, it is suggested that initially one large Highland Area Forum encompassing the three groups of Community Councils would be the preferred option for extending Area Forum coverage over the remaining part of the Council area. However, over time and depending on the views of the participants it may be that this could evolve into more than one Area Forum or into sub-groups operating within some form of federated structure as the best way forward for the longer term. 4.13 The Council also faces the choice as regards Callander, Thornhill and Blairdrummond, and Kilmadock Community Councils’ views whether to leave them out of the Highland Area Forum at present or to include them on the trial basis suggested by Kilmadock Community Council. As regards Dunblane, Ashfield and Kinbuck, the issue is whether to accede to the view that it should be an Area Forum on its own or to hold to the earlier principle (recently endorsed by the Assembly) and combine these communities with the existing Bridge of Allan, Causewayhead and Blairlogie Area Forum. Forum Chairs, Steering Groups and Area Forum Co-ordinating Group 4.14 In the recent review of the Local Democracy & Community Leadership Strategy it was recognised that Elected Members’ responsibilities for each Area Forum and the role of the Lead Officer should be more clearly defined. This would include scrutinising and monitoring local service delivery, progressing responses to local issues and developing the relationship between the Council and the local community. The Forum Chairs would champion the interests of the local area and should hold formal permanent positions within the Council. Council is asked to appoint the Forum Chairs and to consider whether these permanent posts should carry a Special Responsibility Allowance. It is also proposed that the Chief Executive be authorised to appoint/re-appoint the lead Directors. 4.15 Each Area Forum should have a Steering Group to progress the mature Forums to a new phase of operation and to establish the new Forums. Each Steering Group would comprise the Chair, Lead Director, Service representatives and representatives of the community in the area, including Community Councils. 4.16 It is also proposed that an Area Forum Co-ordinating Group be established to guide all of the Area Forums into the next stage of their development.
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