 Welcome to the latest Community Council Newsletter.
Thank you
The Leader and Depute Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council have written to all currently serving community councillors to thank them for their service as the end of the current five-year term of office draws closer.
Although some of those currently serving as community councillors will be returning for a new term of office, it is important to recognise what has been achieved over the last five years.
Update on Community Council Ordinary Elections 2024
Close of Nominations
Following the deadline for the close of nominations and withdrawal period, 83 Community Councils consisting of a total of 645 Community Councillors will assume office at 8am on Friday, 4 October.
Notices have been circulated and are on public display in each of those areas where Community Councils are returning as well as in Customer Service Centres and on our council’s website. Further details are available here.
Arrangements For First Meetings
We are currently finalising the arrangements for the first meetings of all new Community Councils to take place within two calendar months of the date of the election. When doing so, we have taken account of the frequency, meeting day, time and location of where the existing Community Councils usually meet.
The first meeting of all newly established Community Councils is like an Annual General Meeting – the first meeting agenda therefore includes such items of business as the Appointment of Office Bearers; frequency and calendar of meetings, signing of the Scheme as the Constitution by the newly appointed Chair and one other member.
The agenda for the first meeting of a new Community Council must be posted at least 14 days before the date of the meeting, therefore, the earliest we can arrange for any first meetings to take place is week commencing 21 October.
All those assuming office as Community Councillors on 4 October will receive a copy of the first meeting agenda and papers.
We have an induction and training programme for the new Community Councillors that will commence in early 2025. Further information will be shared with all Community Councils over the coming months.
Contact
For further information please contact Hazel Kerr, Community and Democratic Services Officer on 030 33 33 3000 or alternatively email Community.Councils@dumgal.gov.uk.
Operation Safety
Youth Work Dumfries and Galloway in partnership with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service and SPN Energy are delivering workshops including water safety, fire safety, online safety, electrical safety, resilience and first aid to all primary 7 pupils in Annandale and Eskdale, Nithsdale and Stewartry. The programme is running from Monday 23 September until Wednesday 9 October.
The programme will run in Wigtownshire in early 2025.
 Multiply – Reminder of Service
Free, user-friendly help with maths is available in Dumfries and Galloway.
Did you know that half the working-age population in the UK have primary-school level maths skills? If this sounds like you, read on….
A free programme of maths tuition and support for adults (19+) is now available in Dumfries and Galloway. Help will be available by accessing tailored one-to-one support, learn how to include maths in your kid’s or grandkid’s play or get help managing your money and coping with debt. For more information, to register an interest and to have somebody contact you to chat about this, simply e-mail Multiply@dumgal.gov.uk.
Local Development Plan 3
Work on preparing the next Local Development Plan for Dumfries and Galloway – LDP3 – has started. The first stage of the new plan is the production of an evidence report. To help inform the report, the Development Planning Team held roadshows asking people what they think at a series of events in towns and villages during May and June.
The Development Plan Scheme (which is available on the council’s website - Local Development Plan 3 (LDP3) sets out the timetable for the next stages of the preparation of LDP3 (see the last page). The next key stage is getting agreement of the Full Council at its 12 December meeting to submit our evidence report to the Scottish Ministers. Once submitted, a Scottish Government Reporter would then be appointed to go through the Gatecheck exercise, assessing if our evidence report was acceptable to allow us to the next stage of the process. This will be the preparation of the proposed plan including a call for ideas and sites for inclusion.
Place Plans Update
The recently published Development Plan Scheme sets out the various stages in preparing the Local Development Plan 3, along with a timetable for each stage. Local Place Plans are an important part of the plan preparation process with the council required to take them into account when preparing the Local Development Plan. To ensure that happens, a Local Place Plan will need to have been registered or be able to be registered by July 2025.
If you have any questions about Local Place Plans please have a look at the council’s webpage or send an email to communityempowerment@dumgal.gov.uk
Supporting our Communities
Anti-Poverty
We're working with our partners to tackle poverty in the region and support our priority of protecting the most vulnerable people. We have made a strong commitment to tackling poverty.
We want to:
- prevent people from falling into poverty
- support people who are currently in poverty
- provide assistance to people to help them get out of poverty
Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership
Equipment for You has been commissioned by Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership. It’s a self-help website that offers free impartial advice about equipment that could help make daily living easier – maximising independence.
People can use it themselves (or with the support of their carers/families) to access a list of equipment, specific to their needs, that they may wish to buy. It complements, but doesn’t replace, the existing free equipment loan services.
It can be accessed here: equipmentforyou.livingmadeeasy.org.uk.
Village Halls Handbook
The handbook is for everyone running a village or community hall in Scotland. From governance and facilities management to net zero and digital, we'll guide you through what you need to know.
Village halls are often the heart of a community. They are places for people to gather, learn, access services and have fun. Making sure they are well run and maintained is an important but not always easy role, often fulfilled by committed volunteers and workers.
Community Resilience
Starting a new Community Council resilience team
We have Community Council resilience teams throughout the region but there are still some Community Council areas without one. To help you establish a resilience team, we have introduced a quick-start process with a template, guidance and the all-important insurance cover.
Support is available by contacting your local Ward Officer.
For additional information on creating a plan visit Ready Scotland.
Completed forms should be returned to SupportDG@dumgal.gov.uk.
Home Emergency Lifesaving Plan
(HELP)
The council’s community resilience team is currently rolling out a new initiative focussed on safety within your home.
Emergencies for example disruption to essential services, electricity, gas and water, can affect our everyday lives. A HELP can be used as a vital tool in your household (or to help another family member who does not live with you) to be prepared in an emergency situation. Having a HELP means all the important contact information, help, advice and action to take is all in one place, making life easier in an emergency situation, allowing you to respond safely and quickly.
 Trunk Road Works
A free roadwork alert service is available. Sign up using the button below.
 Castle Kennedy Community Council Re-established
Castle Kennedy Community Council was re-established in June 2023. It is thought that the previous Community Council disestablished in around 2000.
CKCC first priority was to fund and purchase a defibrillator for the village. A Bingo/Raffle Night was held in September 2023. It was well attended with in excess of 100 people supporting the first fundraising event. An amazing £1909 was raised. A defibrillator was subsequently purchased and sited in the village.
With Christmas fast approaching, CKCC were eager to utilise the available Festive funding. In December 2023 CKCC hosted a Christmas Lights Switch On. The event was well attended by members of the community with press coverage. This was a historic event for the village to have a Christmas tree in the village.
In April 2024 CKCC applied to hold a Ward event regarding A75 Management. This was held on 14 May 2024 and brought together CKCC, Police Scotland, Amey, Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Councillors and staff from Dumfries and Galloway Council.
Since this meeting a number of welcomed improvements have been made to the roads, footpaths and fencing in the Castle Kennedy area. A new “Welcome to Castle Kennedy” sign was erected.
CKCC vision for the future is securing funding from local Killgallioch Windfarm funding to upgrade the playpark in the heart of the village
Consultations
Dumfries and Galloway Council welcomes your feedback and holds public consultations and information days so that you can take part in decisions that affect you. For more information, visit: www.dumgal.gov.uk/consultations.
Scottish Government also provide advice on engagement.
 Windfarm Update
Contact James Parker at James.Parker@dumgal.gov.uk.
Upcoming application deadlines to be aware of:
- ANCBC main fund – 6 December 2024 (Annandale and Nithsdale)
- Clyde Windfarm – January 2025 (North-East of region)
- Kilgallioch Fund – 14 October 2024, then February 2025 (west of region)
- Ewe Hill Fund – 31 January 2025 (Annandale and Eskdale)
- Dumfries and Galloway Regionwide Community Fund – April 2025, opens January (Regionwide)
 Scottish Government Planning Consultation
Scottish Government has launched a planning consultation on extending marine planning zones.
This consultation paper seeks views on Scottish Ministers proposals to extend existing marine planning zones out to 12 nautical miles, via a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI).
Licencing Update
Statement of Principles
Dumfries and Galloway Licensing Boards are seeking views on their current Statement of Principles.
Licensing Authorities must prepare and publish, every three years, a Statement of Principles that they propose to apply in exercising their functions under the Gambling Act 2005. The present statement came into effect on 31 January 2021 and requires to be renewed by 31 January 2025.
In preparation of the new statement, the boards are consulting on the terms of the current Statement of Principles with a wide range of persons and organisations including:
the Chief Constable
- persons and organisations who represent local gambling businesses
- persons and organisations who represent the interests of persons likely to be affected by the exercise of the Licensing Authorities’ gambling licensing functions
- statutory agencies.
The Statement of Principles should conform to the statutory requirements and take into account the most recent guidance issued by the Gambling Commission. It also sets down an outline of the Gambling Licensing System and the Boards’ role within that system. Central to this is the promotion of the 3 Licensing Objectives:
- preventing gambling from being a source of crime or disorder, being associated with crime or disorder, or being used to support crime;
- ensuring that gambling is conducted in a fair and open way; and
- protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
Formal notification of the consultation will be issued to Community Councils in due course.
 Training Sessions
Dumfries and Galloway Council provides training sessions for all Community Councillors with the governance document, The Amended Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in Dumfries and Galloway being the chief focus of the training. Contact the Community Council mailbox to arrange a training session Community.Councils@dumgal.gov.uk
General Data Protection Regulations Scheme Section 2.5.9
Information Commissioner’s Office – has your Community Council registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) yet? Signed up for the free newsletter? Need more information on this? Visit the Information Commissioners Office now.
Ward officers can provide support with community engagement, community empowerment, community development and community planning.
Community Council Resources
A set of guidance documents for Community Councils have been published by the Improvement Service, Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), COSLA and the Scottish Government.
The documents include a Model Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils and Good Practice Guidance for how Community Councils should operate, and SCDC have provided British Sign Language, Easy Read, Braille, Large Print, Audio and Gaelic versions of these valuable resources. The Good Practice Guidance is designed to be a living document, with scope for additions and edits to be made in response to changes in circumstances. A dedicated email address has been set up for Community Councils and Community Council Liaison Officers (CCLOs) to submit suggested changes to the document at scottishccsuggestionbox@improvementservice.org.uk
Youth Council
Why not take the opportunity to invite your Youth Councillors along to your Community Council meeting to find out how you can work in partnership. Click on the link below and make that connection with your Youth Councillors.
National Support
Scottish Community Council Newsletter – access the free subscription newsletter from the Scottish Government Improvement service. Packed with information, news and funding opportunities Scottish Community Councils website: Scottishccs@improvementservice.org.uk
The Scottish Government Community Council website is for anyone interested in community councils. The site has up to date information on news, events, guidance and grants as well as advice on how to be a Community Councillor. Check out the help and support section: www.communitycouncils.scot
Local Support
The Dumfries and Galloway Council Community Council mailbox is administered by council staff. Send in your agendas and minutes to comply with the scheme – Role of Secretary, section 6.5 or just get in touch with us and we will ensure a prompt response Community.Councils@dumgal.gov.uk
CCESCommunities@dumgal.gov.uk A Dumfries and Galloway Council operated enquiry service. Send your request to the CCES mailbox in connection with any council delivered service.
Report it www.dumgal.gov.uk/reportit
Click on Report it and view the options available which includes reporting potholes, missed bins collection and many more.
Police Scotland
Police Scotland Community Policing Team are available to attend any events or meetings which are taking place across the Division that could provide reassurance and support to local communities and partners. Contact the relevant area at
NithsdaleCPT@Scotland.police.uk
AnnandaleandEskdaleCPT@Scotland.police.uk
StewartryCPT@Scotland.police.uk
WigtownCPT@Scotland.police.uk
Online Platforms
Many Community Councils have Facebook pages and X (formerly Twitter) accounts to keep their communities informed and involved. Dumfries and Galloway Council also has Facebook and X pages that are updated regularly with news, information and contact details.
Funding Support
www.tsdg.org.uk sign up for a free, information packed Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway weekly funding newsletter, attend free workshops and request support from dedicated TSDG officers who support the Third sector in your area.
www.dumgal.gov.uk/funding Our council also has a range of funding available from our area committees’ discretionary fund, tackling poverty and inequalities fund and other funding streams.
www.communitycouncils.scot For national funding available, contact the Scottish Community Council website.
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