Falkirk Council: Call for more community councillors

Community councillors, who are non-political, come from all walks of life and are there to represent the views of their local area to the council, particularly on issues such as planning applications and licensing.

The only qualification needed is an interest in the well-being of their local community – but recent elections left 17 of the 23 areas across the district without enough nominations to form a new community council.

Bo’ness was the only part of the Falkirk Council area that managed to get a full community council, with ten nominations for ten positions by the time nominations closed on September 16.

Five areas did get enough volunteers to form new community councils – although they will still be looking for more members to join throughout the term.

Airth Parish received four nominations for six places; Banknock, Haggs and Longcroft had six nominations for seven places; Brightons got four nominations for six places; Grangemouth nine nominations for 12 places; and Polmont five nominations for seven places.

There were no nominations at all for: Avonbridge and Standburn; Blackness; Bonnybridge; Carron and Carronshore; Falkirk Central; Falkirk South; Grahamston; Middlefield and Westfield; Lower Braes; Maddiston; and Whitecross.

Camelon, Bantaskine and Tamfourhill; Denny and District; Langlees, Bainsford and New Carron; Larbert, Stenhousemuir and Torwood; Reddingmuirhead and Wallacestone; Shieldhill and California; and Slamannan and Limerigg also need more nominations before they can be established.

At a recent meeting of Falkirk Council’s executive, chief executive Kenneth Lawrie admitted the results were “disappointing”.

Members of the executive agreed that those with at least two-thirds of members could form a community council and co-opt members into vacant positions.

They also agreed to extend the deadline for nominations to December 9 in a bid to attract more people to stand.

Members heard that there had been an active social media campaign and the democratic services team had also been meeting with people across the district to encourage more people to get involved.

Democratic services manager Brian Pirie told members that all volunteers get training and support and he is happy to meet anyone who wants to know more about what the role involves.

Councillor Gary Bouse, who represents Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst, said he would encourage people to take up that offer.

He said: “Community councils do some amazingly good work – they represent their communities so well. They are a direct line to us as elected members but also to council officers.”

He said that the work of Larbert and Torwood Community Council – formerly a strong community council that now has just one nomination – was missed, particularly their input on planning applications.

“I would love for it to come back and be as strong as it was. The stronger a community council is the better it is for the operation of the council,” he said.

Lower Braes councillor Anne Hannah agreed it was important to get out more information about what community councils are about.

She said: “I’ve attended all the community councils in my ward and I really value the comments I get from them, the information I get from them – it’s a really useful way of me hearing what’s going on in the community at that grass roots level.

“It’s also a way of me keeping them informed of what the council is doing and why the council is doing things.”

Anyone wishing to become a community councillor should visit the Falkirk Council website.