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2026_04 NTBCC Stakeholder Engagement Strategy v1.0

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Welcome to NTBCC’s Stakeholder Engagement Strategy

New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) is a group of committed, elected volunteers representing the views and interests of people who live and work in the New Town and Broughton area of Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital.

This Stakeholder Engagement Strategy explains how we aim to listen, communicate and work with residents, community groups, local businesses, councillors, council officers and other partners so that the city and its people evolve together in a harmonious and sustainable way, while helping ensure Edinburgh maintains the spirit and history that make it the special place it is.

As a voluntary organisation, everything set out in this strategy represents our aims and aspirations — while we may not always achieve every objective, we are committed to doing our very best in all of our stakeholder engagement and initiatives.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Vision, Mission and Role
3. Principles of Engagement
4. Engagement Goals
5. Stakeholder Groups
6. Transparency, Communication and Signposting
7. Measuring Our Success
8. Review Cycle
9. Contact

1. Introduction

New Town and Broughton Community Council (NTBCC) strives to be a powerful voice for our local community. Community councils exist across Scotland to give residents and local businesses a direct way to influence what happens in their area and they play an important role in representing local views to organisations such as local authorities.

A community council is mostly made up of elected volunteers who care about their neighbourhood and want to make a positive difference. Members give their time freely to listen to residents, raise concerns, work with special interest groups, and collaborate with councillors, council officers, Police Scotland, local businesses, community organisations and other stakeholders.

You can learn more about Community Councils here and view each Council’s boundary area using this interactive map and the filters provided.

NTBCC helps ensure that the issues, priorities and experiences of people who live and work here are understood by those responsible for decisions. We do this by communicating openly, engaging early, scrutinising proposals and advocating for solutions that reflect the needs and character of our community now and into the future.

This Stakeholder Engagement Strategy sets out how we will aim to engage, communicate and collaborate in a clear, consistent and transparent way. It explains our goals, our engagement commitments, how we work with others and how we aim to measure success.

NTBCC’s work is driven by councillors who volunteer their time because they care about this community, and we’re proud to support that. Our role as Engagement Officers is to help strengthen engagement with our stakeholders, represent local views and help turn community priorities into real, positive change. We hope our Engagement Strategy sets the tone for our aims, values and approach to engagement going forward.
Fiona Banatvala & Shaun Hodge, NTBCC Engagement Officers

2. Vision, Mission and Role

Vision

A well-connected, informed and empowered community where participation is easy, voices are valued and local views help shape decisions made by those responsible for them.

Mission

To strengthen democratic participation by listening actively, engaging early, advocating constructively and working collaboratively to help shape a thriving, sustainable and inclusive local community.

Role of NTBCC

We:

• Represent community views to stakeholders and partner organisations, such as the City of Edinburgh Council and others, doing our best to ensure local perspectives are heard, understood and considered.
• Scrutinise planning, licensing, transport, safety and environmental issues, offering ideas and better alternatives where appropriate, and highlighting when policies or proposals conflict so we can work through solutions collaboratively with stakeholders.
• Support community initiatives and encourage local participation.
• Help signpost individuals to the most appropriate organisations when NTBCC is not best placed to assist.
• Bring residents, businesses and partners together to solve problems, share perspectives and shape our neighbourhoods.

3. Principles of Engagement

Our engagement is guided by the following principles:

Inclusive

We actively seek input from a broad range of people, including underrepresented voices.

Accessible

We offer a variety of ways to engage with us and work to remove barriers to participation, including explaining complex topics clearly and keeping information simple and easy to understand.

Transparent

We communicate openly, clearly and honestly about processes, decisions, constraints and our intentions.

Proportionate and Timely

We use appropriate methods and engage as early as possible so views can influence outcomes.

Respectful and Collaborative

We work constructively and cooperatively with residents, stakeholders and partners to develop shared solutions.

Responsive and Adaptive

We listen, learn and adapt our approach as issues evolve, and we continue to build our expertise over time.

Accountable

We report back on how feedback has been used and follow through on agreed actions.

4. Engagement Goals

4.1 Engage Early and Effectively

Our Commitment

We will aim to engage with the right people, groups and organisations quickly and constructively to make a real difference on local issues.

How We Will Make This Commitment Real

• Work swiftly to get involved at the earliest practical opportunity so that discussions start when outcomes can still be shaped and we can help get things right first time.
• Share clear and accessible information as early as possible so residents and partners understand the issue and how to contribute.
• Maintain strong working relationships with Council teams, Elected Members, Police Scotland, businesses and community groups so that early engagement becomes routine and collaborative.
• Use a mixture of digital and traditional engagement and communication methods to reach people in ways that suit them best.

Digital methods may include:

• social media
• short video explainers
• online surveys
• virtual meetings open to everyone
• website updates
• emerging digital tools where appropriate

Traditional methods may include:

• In-person meetings open to everyone
• walkabouts
• in-person conversations
• drop-in sessions
• printed materials
• phone calls

What This Means For Stakeholders

People will have earlier, clearer opportunities to shape local decisions before outcomes are fixed, and engagement will be accessible through both modern and traditional channels.

4.2 Raise Awareness and Understanding

Our Commitment

We will increase NTBCC’s visibility and help local people understand what we do and how local decision-making works.

How We Will Make This Commitment Real

• Refresh and simplify the content on our website to remove barriers and make it easier for people to participate in local issues, highlight problems or attend community council meetings.
• Increase our use of social media so NTBCC is easier to find, follow and contact, making our updates more frequent, accessible and timely.
• Produce an explainer video and other content that sets out who we are, what we do and how we fit into the wider picture of local governance.
• Run small-scale targeted awareness campaigns to help more people understand NTBCC’s role, what community councils do and how residents can get involved.
• Use a variety of engagement and communication methods that are suited to different people, recognising that individuals access information in different ways.

What This Means for Stakeholders

Local people will be better informed, more confident engaging with NTBCC and more aware of how to make their voices heard. People will also have a clearer understanding that the community council does not make decisions, which is sometimes misunderstood, but plays an important role in representing local views. By increasing visibility of the work we do, stakeholders will be able to see more clearly where NTBCC has advocated, influenced discussions and fought for community interests.

4.3 Advocate for What Matters

Our Commitment

We will champion the priorities and wellbeing of our communities, speaking up on issues that shape where we live including planning, transport, public spaces, licensing, crime, roads, heritage, environment and sustainability.

How We Will Make This Commitment Real

• Scrutinise proposals thoroughly and objectively.
• Consider long-term impacts as well as short-term pressures.
• Suggest practical solutions to complex challenges.
• Follow-up with stakeholders and partners to drive change, ensure accountability and progress.
• Offer hands-on support and seek collaboration opportunities to help achieve our shared goals.
• Challenge decisions where necessary while remaining constructive.
• Explain clearly how NTBCC positions are formed.

What This Means for Stakeholders

The community will have a principled, informed, solution-focused and helpful advocate who speaks up for local interests responsibly and transparently.

4.4 Focus on High-Impact and Urgent Issues

Our Commitment

We will prioritise issues that have significant or imminent impact on the NTBCC area, using our limited voluntary capacity where it makes the most difference.

How We Will Make This Commitment Real

• Prioritise issues by urgency, scale and potential community impact.
• Be open that NTBCC cannot respond to every enquiry.
• Make exceptions where cases have wider relevance, set precedents or involve vulnerable individuals or special cases.
• Signpost residents to organisations better placed to assist.
• Use our communication channels to highlight key issues.

What This Means for Stakeholders

NTBCC’s time and effort will be impact-focused and aligned with where it benefits the community most.

4.5 Create a Sense of Community and Ownership

Our Commitment

We will help build pride, participation and shared responsibility through opportunities for people to contribute to their community.

How We Will Make This Commitment Real

• Organise volunteering days such as clean-ups, graffiti removal, gardening and walkabouts.
• Maintain a volunteer list and encourage involvement.
• Partner with local groups and residents’ associations.
• Promote community successes to inspire participation.
• Use events to strengthen relationships between residents and NTBCC.

What This Means for Stakeholders

Residents will feel closer to their community and see visible improvements driven by local involvement.

5. Stakeholder Groups

We may engage with:

• Residents across all neighbourhoods
• Local businesses and traders
• Council Officers
• Elected Members and government
• Schools and youth organisations
• Voluntary, cultural and community groups
• Police Scotland and other emergency services
• Council officers and elected councillors
• Local and national media
• Regulators, bodies and industry representatives 
• Heritage, environmental and sustainability groups
• Developers, planning applicants and housing providers
• Volunteer groups and local improvement networks
• Visitors and people who use local services
• Other community councils
• Public utilities
• Health providers

6. Transparency, Communication and Signposting

We will:

• Publish this strategy and keep it up to date.
• Use clear, plain English in communications.
• Share updates on outcomes and decisions.
• Respond respectfully and explain where NTBCC can or cannot help.
• Signpost individuals to the most appropriate organisation when NTBCC is not the right route.

7. Measuring Our Success

We will measure how well we are delivering this strategy by tracking our activity, our impact and the strength of our relationships over time. To do this, all NTBCC members will commit to engaging in line with this Stakeholder Engagement Strategy, holding ourselves and each other to account.

We will:

• Track our successes, progress and areas of impact on an ongoing basis.
• Share details of our achievements publicly through channels such as our website, social media and community updates.
• Monitor increases in social media reach and visibility as indicators of growing awareness.
• Measure uplift in engagement metrics such as attendance at community council meetings, participation in consultations, responses to consultations and campaigns.
• Reflect regularly on what worked well and where improvements are needed, using this learning to strengthen future engagement.
• Organise a number of community engagement events each year including walkabouts, drop-in sessions, and site visits to meet with local people.

An annual review will summarise our progress and recommend updates to ensure continued improvement.

8. Review Cycle

Our Stakeholder Engagement Strategy will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains relevant, effective and aligned with community needs.

9. Contact

If you’d like to get in touch with NTBCC, please visit our website at https://www.ntbcc.org.uk