What are community councils?
Community councils are recognised groups of local people with an interest in their community.
The size of each community council varies, some are as small as five and others as large as 18 people.
Community councils in the Scottish Borders are governed by the Scottish Borders Scheme for Community Councils.
All Local Authorities are legally obliged to establish community councils under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
What do community councils do?
The main role of community councils is to:
- represent their local area
- consult with local residents
- pass their views on to public sector organisations such as ourselves and NHS Borders
We have a responsibility to consult with community councils about how local services are delivered and inform them of any changes to services or any issues that may affect their local area.
Councillors attend their local community council meetings, providing a good link between ourselves and the community.
Each community council is a member of the Scottish Borders Community Councils' Network (SBCCN) which organises:
- an annual conference
- seminars to discuss areas of concern
- training
Community council minutes
Copies of community council minutes are available by contacting your local community council directly. See our online directory of community councils for contact details.
How to claim your Annual Support Grant
Financial arrangements for community councils are included in Section 13 of the Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils.
In order to receive the Annual Support Grant each community council should submit in the following information:
- most recent annual accounts (inspected and signed)
- agreement made by all community councillors to agree to abide by the Code of Conduct for Community Councillors. This can be undertaken at a community council meeting and the minute of that meeting submitted as evidence of the agreement having been made
- a copy of the Community Council's Equalities' Policy. An equality statement is available from our website for Community Councils to adapt it if they do not have a policy in place
- An evaluation form detailing how the previous year’s Annual Support Grant was spent
Community councillors should meet in one of our premises where possible. When this is not possible we will reimburse the cost of hiring meeting rooms.
The level of Annual Support Grant is calculated on a population basis. Funding is structured in five population bands.
| Population | Annual Support Grant |
|---|---|
| Under 500 | £594 |
| 500 to 2,000 | £693 |
| 2,001 to 4,000 | £1,089 |
| 4,001 to 10,000 | £1501.50 |
| Over 10,000 | £1958 |
Scottish Borders Community Councils' Network receives an Annual Support Grant of £1,250.
View the grants paid to each community council on our website.