Partnership Working

Community Planning

"Community planning is the process through which public sector organisations work together and with local communities, the business and the voluntary sectors, to identify and solve local problems, improve services, and share resources.

The aims of community planning are to promote:

  • Community engagement - making sure people and communities are genuinely engaged in the decisions made on the public services which affect them;
  • Joint working - organisations working together to provide better public services.

And community planning should support:

  • Rationalisation - community planning partnerships (CPPs) should help to coordinate other initiatives and partnerships
  • Connection between local and national priorities - a mechanism to balance national priorities at regional, local and neighbourhood levels."

Source:- "Community planning:  an initial review - key messages" - prepared for the Accounts Commission and the Auditor General for Scotland, June 2006.

Midlothian Community Planning Partnership

“The core partners involved in Community Planning in Midlothian include the Council, the Police and Fire Services, the NHS, Midlothian Voluntary Action (representing the voluntary sector), and the Midlothian Federation of Community Councils.  The partnership also encompasses Communities Scotland, Jobcentre Plus, Further and Higher Education institutions, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water, business representatives and a range of community and voluntary sector organisations.”

The Midlothian Community Planning Partnership (CPP) now has a web presence www.midlothian.gov.uk  (go to Community, then Community Planning). That website is the main source for information on the Midlothian CPP and includes:

  • Midlothian Community Plan
  • Social Inclusion Plan
  • Community Engagement Strategy
  • Community Planning Newsletter
  • Citizens Panel
  • Community Planning Research and Intelligence Group (CPRIG) (formerly the SIPRIG)
  • Community Conference

 

Compact

Community Planning

Useful Links:

Communities Scotland have also produced the National Standards for Community Engagement. These are available from their website.

Community Planning Toolkit - This is also available from the Communities Scotland website.