MSPs launch inquiry into community planning
MSPs have begun an inquiry into community planning and how community planning partnerships can respond to significant events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the current cost of living crisis.
Holyrood's Local Government, Housing & Planning Committee is considering the impact of part 2 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, which aims to improve how organisations such as local government, health boards, and the police work together with other partners to improve local outcomes in an area.
The committee is seeking views from organisations directly involved in community planning partnerships, as well as communities and individuals, about the impact the partnerships have had.
Committee convener Ariane Burgess MSP explained: "The Community Empowerment Act recognised in 2015 how important community planning is to improving people’s lives across Scotland, and our inquiry will seek to understand how successful the Act has been in bringing partners together to deliver better services that make a real difference to people's lives.
"We want to understand how effectively Scotland’s community planning partnerships have been able to respond to challenges such as the current cost crisis and unprecedented events such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
"By hearing directly from organisations involved in community planning partnerships as well as from communities and individuals about the impact the partnerships have had we can understand what further improvements may be required to truly empower communities, tackle inequalities and bring about real change."
The committee is offering two ways to respond. A call for views is aimed at members of community planning partnerships (organisations or individuals) and asks a number of detailed questions about how the partnerships operate. A shorter survey is aimed at other organisations or individuals who have an interest in community planning.
Respondents are welcome to complete either survey. Both will be open until 30 December 2022.