Community Council Elections

Elections to Penicuik & District Community Council are due to take place this month.
Information leaflets and nomination forms are available from secretary@penicuikcommunitycouncil.org and must be returned to the Secretary, 219 Cuiken Terrace, Penicuik EH26 9AS no later than April 26th. The Council wards (with the number of members for each) is as follows:
Ninemileburn/Silverburn (1); Bush/Easter Howgate (1), Auchendinny/Milton Bridge (1); Mauricewood/Greenlaw (2); Queensway (1); Deanburn (1); Cuikenburn (1); Cuiken (2); Cornbank (3); Central (2); Kirkhill/Eskhill (1); Eastfield (1); Windsor (1); Ladywood (2).
Candidates must be 18 years of age or over and resident in the ward which they intend to represent
A map showing the ward boundaries is on display at the Penicuik Centre until Saturday, April 12th.

There are also seats on the Council for representatives nominated by local organisations. These are grouped as follows:
Churches & Religious; Senior Citizens; Social; Cultural; Sporting; Charitable; Women; Disabled/Handicapped; Young Persons; Area & Amenity.
Each of the above groupings may put forward one candidate. If more than one person is nominated then the groups will be asked to meet and select their preferred candidate.
Nomination forms are available as above.
Candidates must be nominated and seconded by persons who are members of organisations within the group they plan to represent.

Note that nomination forms must be returned either by post or by hand. There is no provision for them to be submitted electronically.

For further information, email the Comunity Council Secretary as above or phone 673398.

I promise that this question is not intended to be unpleasant or funny. It is born of genuine and innocent ignorance of the subject in hand.

What exactly does/ can the Community Council do?

The exact wording of s 51 (2) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 reads:

Quote :

In addition to any other purpose which a community council may pursue, the general purpose of a community council shall be to ascertain, co-ordinate and express to the local authorities for its area, and to public authorities, the views of the community which it represents, in relation to matters for which those authorities are responsible, and to take such action in the interests of that community as appears to it to be expedient and practicable.

Sorry about the language!
Under a later amendment community councils were given a statutory right to be consulted on all matters relating to planning.
The last bit, "and to take such action ..." really says that community councils can do what they like. What community councils actually do depends to a great extent on how active their members choose to be (like most other organisations).
I would point you in the direction of the Association of Scottish Community Councils web site (www.ascc.org.uk) but for some reason the site appears to be down at the moment. I'll try to find out what the problem is because they do some useful publications on what we are supposed to be about.
Penicuik & District organises the annual Street Fayre and the celebrations attached to the Christmas Lights ceremony;
is providing insurance cover and some financial backing for the Clean-Up on Saturday morning (Apr 12th - 9 am, Ladywood, all welcome) which is organised by Chris Leavy;
sponsors an annual award to Beeslack High School for community service;
organises and sponsors the annual Citizen of the Year Award;
carries out surveys on things like the Local Plan and the Auchencorth wind farm proposals (and usually ends up being accused of taking sides! Would you perhaps rather we didn't take a stand so that everybody can have a go at us? );
gives some (limited) financial support to things like Hunter & Lass, Garden Club's Annual Show and other activities, events and projects that have a uniquely Penicuik connection.
The monthly meetings (open to the public) get regular reports from local police and Midlothian Councillors and (as far as I am concerned) could and would do more if the local community were both more aware of us and would ask us to do more for them.
We have recently found ourselves very popular as people look for someone to yell at about the A701!!!



Anything I've missed?