Age limit for community councillors could be 16

ARGYLL and Bute Council is reviewing community councils, including lowering the age of membership, electors and co-option from 18 to 16, and has invited residents to give their views in a consultation.

Other proposals include increasing Glenorchy and Innishail Community Council’s membership from eight to 10 to reflect new electorate figures, and a timetable for the next election on April 26, 2018.

There are 56 community councils in Argyll and Bute, representing urban, rural and island communities.

Councillor Robin Currie, policy lead for communities, said: ‘The community councils help to ensure the council and other public agencies are aware of the opinions and needs of the communities it represents.

‘The feedback of the local people of Argyll and Bute is extremely important in letting the council know if proposals for community councils continue to be fit for purpose.

‘Community councils offer local people the opportunity to make a difference in the place where they live, from organising local galas or events, conducting local opinion surveys, campaigning on local issues, developing projects to improve their local area and commenting on planning or licensing applications.

‘We really look forward to hearing from our communities and finding out what matters to them as the newly-formed community councils will represent their collective views for the next four years and it is important that we have the framework in place to provide for this.’

To have a say, visit the consultation page on the council website, and consultation documents are available in all Argyll and Bute Council libraries.

Any representations or comments on the revised proposed scheme must be received by October 19.