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Daily Record

Concerns over power of North Ayrshire community councils

Community councils to be given closer scrutiny Outspoken North Ayrshire Tory leader Cameron Inglis has suggested some community councils should have their wings clipped as they are becoming too powerful and disrespectful. The Saltcoats and Stevenston councillor spoke out as councillors debated undertaking a review of the hyper-local democratic bodies at a full council meeting last Wednesday. ‌ He said: 'In my opinion it is getting harder to engage with community councils as sometimes they go above their remits and in some areas there is a lack of respect to elected members. ‌ 'We should look at how we train our community councillors to be more respectful to members and how their remits are going above what they should.' Aileen Craig, Head of Service (Democratic), said: 'We have a code of conduct and will look at how we take that forward and give assistance to members and see what their remit is.' The democracy boss said the council would see how they could get local bodies working together. Cllr Nairn Angus-McDonald said there would be responses to a consultation in areas where there were community councils but that they should pay attention to arrears which did not have any. Kilwinning Cllr Donald Reid asked if community councils in the meantime carried on as normal with AGMs and recruitment. ‌ The Head of Service said the status quo would carry on as normal but if they went down the route of a full review, elections would be postponed for a further year. Cllr Reid said that some community councils chose to respond to planning applications but that should be among their civic duties and he took guidance from them should they choose to object. Cllr Eleanor Collier said she felt some people served too long on community councils. However Aileen Craig said that was not necessarily the case. The council agreed: To proceed with the formal review of the Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils on the basis of the timetable. That consideration should be given to updating the Scheme in line with the Model Scheme of Establishment that was issued by the Scottish Government in 2023. To receive future reports to Special Meetings of Council in relation to the review of the Scheme of Establishment of Community Councils. Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines –