The City of Edinburgh Council held a special meeting on Thursday, 27 June 2024, primarily to discuss the review of the scheme for community councils and their boundaries. The council decided to adopt a composite motion that included several amendments to the scheme, while rejecting a proposal to impose term limits on community council chairs.

Review of Scheme for Community Councils and Their Boundaries

The main topic of discussion was the review of the scheme for community councils and their boundaries. Councillor Walker proposed a composite amendment shaped by feedback from community councils, which emphasized flexibility and local decision-making. The amendment included measures to improve publicity around community council elections and facilitate better use of technology to ensure diverse representation.

Councillor Standiforth proposed an alternative amendment to impose term limits on community council chairs, arguing that it would allow more voices to be heard and prevent stagnation. However, this proposal was not accepted. Councillor Molybdenum and others argued that term limits could disrupt the stability and continuity of community councils, especially smaller ones with fewer active members.

Councillor Walker emphasized that the council's role should be to empower community councils rather than impose top-down policies. The composite motion, which did not include term limits, was ultimately adopted with 50 votes in favour and 10 against.

Deputation from Liberton and District Community Council

A deputation from the Liberton and District Community Council was heard, represented by Graham Forbes, Bill Crowell, and Ronnie Shaw. They made three pleas:

1. Retain the Name: They requested to retain the name Liberton and District Community Council instead of changing it to Liberton, Gracemount and Inch Community Council, arguing that the current name is more inclusive.
2. Boundary Changes: They sought additional time to present an alternative proposal for boundary changes, citing concerns about equitable population balance.
3. Rules for Nominated Groups: They suggested changes to make it easier for locally active but not tightly constituted groups, such as residents' associations and parent-teacher councils, to participate in community councils.

The council acknowledged these pleas and indicated that they would be considered during the final four-week consultation period.

Conclusion

The meeting concluded with the adoption of the composite motion, which aims to support the work of community councils through improved publicity, better use of technology, and respect for local decision-making. The council rejected the proposal to impose term limits on community council chairs, opting instead to focus on encouraging broader participation through other means.