Community Plan For The Western Isles
Consultative Draft

What is Community Planning?

Community Planning is a mechanism for involving the public, the local public agencies, the voluntary and business sectors in shaping priorities for the Western Isles and working together to achieve them. A draft community plan has been produced and is available in libraries and from the Comhairle.

What is the point?

Community Planning is based on the assumption that in many cases the needs of an individual, or indeed a community, must be addressed by a range of organisations if they are to be met successfully. Problems that require action seldom come in neat packages and people increasingly require services and solutions which are flexible and responsive.

On one level the process of Community Planning is about working smarter and more effectively. It is about avoiding duplication and overlap between agencies and providing solution orientated services to the public. On another level it requires the involvement of the whole community in agreeing a community vision and working together to achieve it.

Is this new?

Well, only partly. Community Planning is very much what the agencies have been doing with regard to joint working, but an overall Plan will give more of a sense of priorities and focus. It will ensure that everyone is pulling in the same direction. Involvement of the whole community will help to determine that direction in a way that has not been possible before.

How does it work?

The process is led by the local Community Planning Partnership which includes representatives from the main public agencies, the voluntary sector and the Chamber of Commerce. Reporting to the Partnership there are Forums responsible for Community Wellbeing, Economic Development, Gaelic Language and Culture and Lifelong and Community Learning. The Forums link to Action Teams which cover specific areas of work.

Areas of common interest between the Forums are looked after by the Quality of Life Group which is responsible for reporting to the main Partnership on; Data collection; Sustainability; Environment; Community Involvement; Audit.

Who is responsible for making this happen?

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the lead agency and has a statutory responsibility to undertake Community Planning.

Where does the Community fit in?

The draft community plan outlines a vision for 2050. To know if this is going in the right direction, we need to know how the community feels about it. You can participate by filling in the questionnaire overleaf. The main points of the vision are:

·          Development of renewable energy.

·          Development of broadband electronic connectors.

·          Promoting and marketing leisure industries, such as surfing and sailing.

·          Diversifying crofting and producing more food locally.

·          Encouraging academic research based in the islands.

·          Promoting tourism based on local culture, heritage and language.

How does it affect me?

Community Planning will increasingly affect the way that the Western Isles develop and the way in which decisions are made. Changing and improving our community is not the responsibility of any single individual or agency, but must be undertaken in partnership between the agencies and the public. The Community Planning Partnership is trying to find ways of making sure that everyone is able to have their say about how they see the future of the Western Isles and how they wish the Islands to develop.

Am I expected to do something about this?

You can make a difference by contributing your views. Community Planning can only work to its full potential if the Community gets involved in putting forward views and ideas, so if you're asked, have your say. Things will not change overnight and you may not immediately see the impact of yourcontribution, but do not let this put you off. Turning around takes time, but things will change.

What can I do to get involved?

There will be workshops and community involvement exercises throughout the islands in the coming year. Go along and join in, say what you think.

For further information contact Derek McKim on 01851 709270 or by email at dmckim@cne-siar.gov.uk

Email your comments on the Community plan