Council disband community group

Former members allege ‘democratic deficit’

Former members of Larkhall Community Council have accused South Lanarkshire of denying the people of the town a community forum.

The community council was dissolved by the local authority on December 9 last year on the grounds that the group had failed to fully comply with council guidelines - The Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils.

Members of the former Larkhall Community Council have, however, rejected the basis on which South Lanarkshire dissolved the group.

They have also submitted a complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman alleging that the council have “ignored” a petition to set up a new community council.

Initially, South Lanarkshire did not divulge the reasons behind the dissolution of the group.

However, following a Freedom of Information request lodged by the Advertiser, we can reveal it was based on the following grounds: failure to advise South Lanarkshire when the community council will elect a new chairman and the failure to elect a new treasurer and secure his or her attendance at meetings or confirm the reasons for non-attendance of the treasurer through 2015 and 2016 – as well as the requirement to provide the council with a forward plan of meetings for the remainder of 2016 and 2017.

The community council was also said to have failed to notify elected members and the council’s liaison officer of meetings, and provide agendas at least seven days in advance and provide minutes within 14 days of meetings in compliance with the scheme; failed to submit accounts for the year 2015/2016, and to have failed to hold an AGM for 2015 and provide minutes within 14 days of the date of that meeting.

An agreed response from members of the former community council emailed to the Advertiser last week stated: “By refusing to meet with the ‘dissolved’ community council and ignoring a petition to set up a new community council for Larkhall, South Lanarkshire are denying the town their democratic right to have a community council.

“A formal complaint was submitted to South Lanarkshire chief executive on January 30 this year with a request for a speedy resolution which was dismissed by the council on March 8.”

South Lanarkshire Council executive director of finance and corporate resources Paul Manning explained: “Larkhall Community Council was dissolved on December 9, 2016, due to their failure to fully comply with The Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils.

“A letter fully explaining this decision dated December 9, 2016, was sent out to the community council.

“The community council had previously been given opportunities to take the necessary actions to remedy the breaches of the Scheme, but at the end of the period allowed for response the council had not received adequate assurance that the community council had progressed the necessary actions to remedy the situation and took the decision to dissolve the community council under Section 17 of the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils.

“This is not a unique situation, although it is unusual as the council views dissolution of a community council as very much a last resort and tries, as far as possible, to work with community councils to ensure compliance with the Scheme.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman could neither confirm nor deny if they had received a complaint.

However, members of the former Larkhall Community Council told the Advertiser that a complaint had been submitted on March 13 and that they received a receipt the following day.

SLC are denying the town their democratic right to have a community council