Easy Read version of the Policy Memorandum for the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill

An Easy Read version of the Policy Memorandum for the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill has been published on the Scottish Government website.

Towards a Litter-Free Scotland: Consultation on a strategy to tackle and prevent litter and flytipping

The Scottish Government has published its draft National Litter Strategy for consultation.  This focuses on action that will help prevent litter and illegal dumping.  It encourages people to take greater personal responsibility, and includes support for organisations to help solve the problem.  

The consultation sets out how the Scottish Government intend to:

 

• Help people understand why binning waste responsibly matters
• Make it easy for people to do so
• Highlight that littering and flytipping are socially unacceptable.

 

They are inviting written responses by 27 September 2013. Early responses are appreciated. 

 

A consultation event is expected to be held at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, on 30 August. If you would like to attend or receive more details when they are available please get in touch. 

 

This consultation links with a consultation on proposals to create cleaner coastlines by tackling marine litter.  You can read details of both within our news release.

Scottish Government consulting on Planning Policy

The Scottish Government have launched a consultation on a Main Issues Report for the third National Planning Framework (NPF3) and on Draft Scottish Planning Policy (SPP). The consultation will run until 23 July 2013

A single web page links to both the National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy consultation documents, as well as associated assessments and ways to comment.

The engagement strategy also includes a number of "drop in" events across Scotland including one in Edinburgh at The Gyle Centre on 30 May from 9am-9pm.

Coping with emergencies - building community resilience

The Scottish Government have sent us three paper copies of each of two leaflets:

• How you can help make your community more resilient
• Guide to emergency planning for community groups

Let me know if you want one of them.  

More details are available in the full Guide to emergency planning for community groups and at the Ready Scotland website.

Report from the Scottish Government Short-life Working Group on Community Councils

In December 2011, the Scottish Government established a short-life working group to consider and recommend how best to build the resilience, capacity and capability of Community Councils in the future.

The final report and recommendations, include consideration of internal operations; Community Councils’ engagement and relationships with local authorities; the wider public sector; the general public; and the communities that they strive to represent.

The Group agreed that in the spirit of partnership working and in recognition of the key role local authorities play in supporting Community Councils, its report should be presented to both the Scottish Government and COSLA to consider collectively and ultimately decide which recommendations should be taken forward. The Group also agreed that consideration of its recommendations would benefit from wider discussion and engagement with a range of stakeholders with an interest in the sector which will inform and support the future policy development of Scotland's Community Councils .

Have your say: Future of the Fire and Rescue Service in Scotland

The Scottish Government is seeking views on the future of the Fire and Rescue Service in Scotland, and would like to hear from you.   The closing date for the consultation is 5 May 2011.  

Scottish Government Community Empowerment Newsletter

The first issue of a new community empowerment newsletter is now available from the Scottish Government website.  As well as updating readers on the progress of the Community Empowerment Action Plan, and detailing training and upcoming events, the newsletter includes inspiring examples of how communities across Scotland have become empowered, from Orkney through South Lanarkshire to Dumfries and Galloway. 

The newsletter will be issued on-line on a quarterly basis, to help inspire, encourage and support community empowerment across Scotland.

For more details please contact WendyLouise.Smith@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

Should Public Information Notices be published electronically? Let the Scottish Government know your view...

Comments on the Local Authority Public Information Notices (Electronic Publication) (Scotland) Order 2010 are sought by February 12, 2010. 

This order will enable electronic publication as an alternative to the duty to advertise in printed media.


Local authorities will be released to make informed decisions about providing the most efficient and effective service for their locality whether digital or printed media.

Public information notices are announcements that local authorities are legally required to publish. There are two types of PIN:

• Statutory Notices give required notice of an intended action, such as road closures, construction, licensing and planning/property developments.
• Public Notices inform people of changes to services, such as refuse collection.

Consultation on Patients' Rights Bill: analysis of responses

The Scottish Government have published a summary document setting out the analysis of a recent consultation on a Patients' Rights Bill, and their response.

Full versions of the analysis of public responses and the Scottish Government's response to that analysis are also available on the Scottish Government's website.

For more information contact fiona.wherrett@scotland.gsi.gov.uk.

Modernising planning: how to find out more

The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 (PDF) is bringing about major changes in planning. The new legislation is designed to let communities be better informed and have an early say in the planning process on national and major proposals. Consultation with local communities is the key focus of these changes.

To find out more visit the City of Edinburgh Council modernising planning pages, where you can download leaflets and access background information.

Do you or anyone you know qualify for the Scottish Government Central Heating Programme?

The Central Heating Programme is a Scottish Government funded initiative. Under the scheme, pensioners who have broken or inefficient systems could benefit from a replacement system and a more efficient system that could help cut energy bills. The Central Heating Programme provides heating, insulation measures, safety devices, energy advice and a benefit entitlement check.

The Programme is available to private-sector homeowners and the tenants of private landlords who are;

• Aged 60yrs and over who have never had a central heating system;

• Those who have a system which is broken beyond repair, are aged between 60 and 74yrs and are in receipt of the Guarantee Element of Pension Credit;

• Those who have a system which is broken beyond repair and are aged 75 or over;

• Those who have a partial or inefficient system, are aged between 60 and 79yrs and are in receipt of the Guarantee Element of Pension Credit;

• Those who have a partial or inefficient system and are aged 80 or over.

Please be advised that other residency criteria will also apply.

The current Programme ends in March 2009. Interested parties can contact Scottish Gas on the Central Heating Programme free phone number.

0800 316 1653

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT CONSULTATION – “SAFEGUARDING OUR RURAL SCHOOLS AND IMPROVING SCHOOL CONSULTATION PROCEDURES”

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on proposals for improving the way in which school closure proposals might be handled in the future. Given the role of schools in their communities, the consultation will be of potential interest to Community Councils (and the paper was sent to the Association of Scottish Community Councils when the consultation began).

You can access our consultation paper, “Safeguarding our Rural Schools and Improving School Consultation Procedures: Proposals for Changes to Legislation” on the Scottish Government website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/221297, and a summary version is available at: www.scotland.gov.uk/221476. If you would like hard copies of the full consultation paper, or the summary, please telephone on 0131 244 0166 to request hard copies, or e-mail your request to schoolclosure.consultation@scotland.gsi.gov.uk. Further information about the consultation, including details of public meetings, are available on the Parentzone website
School Closures

How to respond
We very much want to know your views on the changes we are proposing. You can:
 send them to us by post to:
School Closure Consultation CRE995
CSU, Spur U5b, Saughton House
Broomhouse Drive
Edinburgh
EH11 3XD
 e-mail your views to us at schoolclosure.consultation@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
 complete an on-line response form on the Scottish Government website at
Safeguarding Schools

However you respond, please complete and return a Respondent Information Form, available on the Scottish Government website and in the full consultation paper. This helps us to make sure that we treat your response appropriately. If you ask for your response not to be published we will regard it as confidential and treat it accordingly.
Should you require further information please do not hesitate to contact us by e-mail (schoolclosure.consultation@scotland.gsi.gov.uk) or by telephone on 0131 244 0166.
Yours faithfully
LYNN HENNI