Scottish Borders Community Councils’ Network (SBCCN) December 2009 Chairman’s Comments Smailholm) agreed to undertake the Community Planning would they Inside this issue: responsibilities of Treasurer. please let Graeme Donald or Clare Malster know as these areas will Pg The first meeting of the reconstituted Response from Other members of the Core Group are: - form an important part of the work Scottish Parliament to Network was quorate!! All is well. John Elliot (Duns) – who will represent of the Network over the next year. letter seeking the Continued Development the interests of the Network on the of Community Meetings are open to all and every Voluntary Sector Liaison Group; the SB Links between LEADER and the Councils 2 Community Councillor who would like to Environment Partnership and the Network will be further considered. become gently involved with the work of Working Countryside Group: Raymond Response to Area the Network. The Core Group elected at du Bois (Newtown and Eildon): Roy Clare Malster continues ex officio as Committees 2 the October AGM agreed to the Garden (Chirnside) – who will maintain the representative of the local authority following appointments: contact with Borders Voluntary and Bob Kerr (Selkirk) continues as the Local Renewable Community Care Forum: Gillian Steel representative of the Association of • Graeme Donald (Lauderdale) to Energy Opportunities 3 (Innerleithen) and John Swanson Scottish Community Councils. continue as Chairman until June (Peebles). 2010 when he steps down as a There remain two places on the Core It is encouraging to sense active community councillor and therefore Future Dates & Group for representation from the involvement by members of the new Newsletters 4 no longer eligible for office. Cheviot and Teviot areas. Core Group. 2010/11 could be an • Logan Inglis (Reston and important period in the debate on the Auchincrow) Vice Chairman to Co-opted to the Core Group was Diana future place and responsibilities for Training Programme 4 succeed Graeme Donald from June Findlay as a representative from Elder Community Councils. It was 2010 until the October 2010 AGM. Voice. Diana to be invited to represent disappointing to learn of the difficulties • Secretary – SBC to provide Minute the interests of the Network at Public associated with implementation of the Secretary. The meeting agreed, Performance/Partnership meetings with blue print for Area Committees/ Ward however, that a Network Secretary, NHS Borders. Other co-options will be Forums as drafted in the Parker Paper. separate from SBC staff, was an considered in due course to ensure Why do we need a middle tier? With essential appointment. informed knowledge across the interests active Community Councils interested Consideration to be given to a paid of the Network. in community engagement assuming appointment at the next meeting of additional responsibilities linked directly the Network. If any Community Councillor is with the local authority the middle tier • Robin Thomson (Floors, interested in Health Issues or becomes unnecessary!!! Makerstoun, Nenthorn and Scottish Borders Community Councils’ Network (SBCCN) Response from Scottish Parliament to letter seeking the Continued Development of Community Councils: Following on from the question put extracts: “The criteria required to be a local Establishment of Community to John Swinney MSP at the authority area in which pilot Councils.” (Borders Council does National Conversation Event held in community council/councils would not use the National Scheme). “Ministerial approval has been given Melrose, the Chairman of the be considered is that the local to develop a further four community Borders Network wrote to John authority in question uses the So we miss out on an opportunity council pilot projects 2 of which will Swinney on the same topic. A copy Model Scheme of Establishment of perhaps – or simply await the focus on promoting community of the Chairman’s letter and the full Community Councils and findings of the other pilots and those council elections and 2 of which will reply is available on request; associated documents as a basis about to be announced, all of which focus on potential asset however, community councillors for any recent or forthcoming review appears to be confidential at this management.” may be interested in the following of that local authority’s Scheme of time. As this is our last newsletter of Response to Area Committees: 2009 we would like to take this The Core Group were made aware Comments made within the Core of the issues arising from the Group included – as voting rights opportunity to wish you a Parker Paper and discussed the were controversial and probably views of the Community Councils illegal the Ward Forums would represented in the Core Group. The become ineffectual talking shops Group decided not to make a with no direct responsibility or Merry Christmas response at this time as little could accountability for any function; pupils be added to responses already from High Schools invited to attend submitted by individual Community should be trained/fully briefed in the Councils. If a follow on consultation work of the Forum before they and all the very paper appears then the Network attend; trial projects with willing would make a detailed response at Community Councils could remove best for 2010 that time. the need for Forums. Page 2 Scottish Borders Community Councils’ Network (SBCCN) Local Renewable Energy Opportunities Two students spent their summer Scotland-wide Powerdown project used today” he said. and is very keen to pursue ways vacation this year working on a and there are other communities of supporting interested renewable energy project which where projects are being Martin found that there are hardly communities. “We will be was jointly supported by the developed. any working small scale contacting the Community Southern Uplands Partnership hydropower units in the region. Councils who responded and Scottish Borders Council. Part of the work which Fraser did There are however a number of positively to Fraser’s was to contact all Community derelict schemes which could be questionnaire with a view to Fraser Wallace surveyed Councils to ask them to complete brought back into production and making a bid to the Climate community groups to assess what a brief questionnaire and many of there are lots of potential sites Challenge Fund for funding for renewable energy projects they you helpfully filled them in. The where schemes could be dedicated support for these are interested in and what information which this provided introduced. communities. If there are any support they felt they need to take has been extremely useful and new ideas out there we really such projects forward. He found we are now aware of a further 7 It is intended that members of the need to hear about them so that that groups are well aware of the communities which would like to Scottish Borders Sustainable we can build momentum behind need to reduce carbon emissions investigate energy efficiency and Energy Association will now such projects and get some and there is interest in a wide renewable energy projects. pursue ways of promoting these more really good practical range of renewable technologies. support systems and improving demonstration sites around the Borders.” Martin Schork from Germany levels of awareness. Fraser also Selkirk and Hawick are exploring worked in the Borders thanks to a found that some groups feel they a range of opportunities, grant from the British Council and need more assistance to help them If your community is interested Whitsome already has a state-of- he worked closely with Fraser develop projects. The ideal in developing a local renewable the-art village hall with concentrating on opportunities for solution might be to employ a energy project or for further geothermal and solar heating, small scale hydro-electric specialist to work with Borders information visit and the Lamancha Hub is another schemes. “When you think about communities. great example of a community how much energy was captured www.sup.org.uk developing its own renwewable by the mills in this part of the Pip Tabor, Project Manager with energy assets. Lauder and world a hundred years or so ago the Southern Uplands Partnership or call Pip on Walkerburn are part of the – it is surprising how little is being is leading this work at the moment 01750 725154. Page 3 Scottish Borders Community Councils’ Network (SBCCN) Future Dates and Newsletters: Training Programme: The Network Core Group agreed to the following dates for Just another review and questionnaire – so the sparse return was not Network meetings during 2010: unexpected. No surprises from the returns received either. However, together with informal discussion at the October 3rd March; 30th June; 22nd September; 2nd October Conference the following opportunities will be programmed for 2010: (Conference and AGM); 24th November. • Examples of Best Practice from Borders Community As agreed at the AGM these dates are made known so Councils (this may feature as part of the October 2010 that any interested community councillor can attend. Conference). • The Planning Process ( further discussion required to To co-incide with meetings the Network Newsletter will be clarify specific planning matters for training purposes) published every 2/3 months as follows: • The Roles and Responsibilities of Office Bearers (this too may feature in the annual conference) early February; May; August and late October. • Community Engagement Techniques • How to become a Community Councillor (this would be Special editions may appear from time to time. The regular most effective once combined election months are in place) Newsletters will include the agenda for the relevant • Fund Raising Sources (including and beyond the meeting of the Core Group – all welcome! Community Grant Scheme and the Lottery themes) We can provide this document on tape, in large print and various other formats by contacting the address below.