What can the ASCC do for our Community Council?
The ASCC’s role is never to supplant a CC, or duplicate its work. Our role is to help CCs be the most effective representatives of their constituents. It does this, in part, by working to remove the barriers (in bureaucracies or in the perceptions of key people) that too often restrict Community Councils from reaching the potential envisioned in the law.
The most crucial work the ASCC does will never be noticed by your CC at local level, except indirectly. This is the work done at a national level to enhance the reputation of Community Councils and fight for their status and empowerment. It would take too long to list all the things the ASCC does in this respect. We invite you to read the ASCC Document “What Have You Done For Us Lately?” which has the facts about the ASCC’s national representation work.
On a practical level, the ASCC provides low cost insurance to hundreds of CCs, at rates unbeatable anywhere else. We cover defamation, public liability, personal accident. We can also arrange cheap property and special event insurance for CCs.
The ASCC provides low cost training to CCs. This is usually for a group of CCllrs from a number of CCs together in a training session. The cost is usually met by the local authority or through a grant. The ASCC training is bespoke, in that it is designed specifically for CCs, and not just a general syllabus. Training sessions/topics (which can be aggregated) include: What is a CC?, What is a Community Councillor, Representing and Engaging Your Constituents, Working With Your Local Authority (and its Councillors), Meeting Skills in the CC Context, Organising your CC. For more details contacts the ASCC office.
The ASCC provides opportunities for Community Councils to network to share information and experiences. This can happen at meetings in a local authority area arranged by the ASCC Area Representative, at Regional Meetings across Scotland (4 each year, on a rolling schedule), at the National Conference, and on the ASCC website.
The ASCC provides practical support and advice to CCs. It does this with services like policy guidance, regular news updates on issues affecting CCs nationally, or local news that has wider significance to the CC sector. It also undertakes casework on behalf of individual CCs that have particular issues or problems, and seek a source of informed, independent advice and representation.
The ASCC provides useful tools to help Community Councils to be more efficient and empowered, for example the pro forma community engagement survey, and the CC minute template. The ASCC worked with the Scottish Government to compile the national Best Practice Guidance (Publication Date October 2008), which provides the most comprehensive manual of good practice for both CCs and local authorities.
The ASCC provides a quarterly newsletter to all CCs, packed with information and advice.
The ASCC is now seeking funding to provide a Development Officer whose remit will be to engage directly and regularly with Community Councils across Scotland.
