(adapted from an email from the Improvement Service)
People across Scotland are being invited to join a conversation about community decision-making to help make public services more locally focused.
The Democracy Matters conversation will identify new legal rights for communities which would place them at the heart of decision-making. The Democracy Matters conversation is a joint venture between the Scottish Government, COSLA and the community sector and will run over the next six months.
As part of the conversation people are being invited to consider a short set of questions on shaping local democracy. Community groups can also apply for grants of up to £300 to host their own events related to the project. To find out more about the grants, please visit Voluntary Action Fund’s website:https://www.voluntaryactionfund.org.uk/funding-and-support/democracy-matters-community-engagement-fund
You can get involved by answering the questions contained in the document, Democracy Matters – Your Community. Your Ideas. Your Future: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2018/05/6780
Scottish Government has also published the following supporting materials:
- guide explaining how decisions about Scotland’s public services are made
- guide to help you hold a conversation in your community
- guide to facilitating a good conversation
To return your answers:
You must include a completed respondent information form, available to download here: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2018/05/6780/downloads
For those who can’t attend a community event but want to join the conversation, you can get involved at Scottish Government’s ideas.gov.scot platform: https://www.ideas.gov.scot/local-governance-review/
More information
Contact democracymatters@gov.scot
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2018/05/6780
https://beta.gov.scot/policies/improving-public-services/local-governance-review/
https://www.voluntaryactionfund.org.uk/funding-and-support/democracy-matters-community-engagement-fund
https://news.gov.scot/news/communities-to-shape-democracy