Crisis in the community

Twelve councils can’t form

Kings Park and Riverside are among a dozen areas that have been left without a community council due to a low number of nominations.

Nominations for Stirling Council’s community council elections closed on Friday. However, 12 community councils have not been able to be formed because fewer than the minimum number required registered an interest.

Community councils are voluntary organisations set up by statute by the local authority and run by residents to act on behalf of its area.

Each of the community council areas has a minimum and maximum number of required places available.

The 12 affected community council areas failed to attract the minimum number of nominations and as a result no community council is able to be formed. They include: Balquhidder, Lochearnhead and Strathyre; Buchanan, Drymen, Hillpark and Milton, Killin, King’s Park, Kippen, Plean, Riverside, Thornhill and Blairdrummond, Throsk and Torbrex.

The results mean that more than quarter of the area’s 42 community councils are not able to be formed.

Further elections may now be held in the new year in an attempt to establish the 12 outstanding community groups.

A Stirling Council spokesperson said: “Community councils perform a vital democratic role and bring a wide range of benefits to the authority and communities.

“This is why the council is pleased that over 300 members of the public have chosen to stand for election and that 30 of the 42 community councils in the area have enough members to form.

“Once these 30 community councils have been established and are up and running, officers will liaise with elected members about the prospect of running further elections for the remaining 12 community councils in 2019.”

Leader of the Stirling Conservative Group, Councillor Neil Benny, described the situation as the worst he can remember. The Stirling West Tory councillor added: “With nearly a third of all community councils not being formed this has got to raise questions as to why so many people have disengaged with local democracy.

“We have already raised serious concerns about how the council is approaching community engagement with bogus consultations and so called ‘participatory budgeting’. This administration has to stop ignoring the communities they are meant to represent or this situation will only get worse.”

Trossachs and Teith councillor Evelyn Tweed also expressed disappointment, adding: “There particularly seems to be an issue in rural areas and in my ward the three community councils of Thornhill and Blairdrummond, Balquhidder, Lochearnhead and Strathyre and Killin cannot be formed.

“Community councils have an important role to play and I hope people will come forward to help these community councils become established. It’s very important that remote, rural areas have a voice.”

Seven of the 30 areas that received enough nominations will now go to a ballot after receiving more than the maximum number required. They include; Bridge of Allan, Buchlyvie, Callander, Gartmore, Kilmadock, Logie and Polmaise.

Ballot papers will be issued from Monday, November 5, and must be returned by 5pm on Tuesday, November 27.

All other community council areas are able to be formed.

There were no nominations for the community councils in Plean and Buchanan. Hillpark and Milton only received one nomination.

Callander saw the highest response rate. Seventeen people nominated themselves to take up 14 positions on the town’s community group.

A total of 304 nominations were received.