Support for Community Planning Partnerships

The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 aims to raise the level of ambition for community planning, setting out a legislative requirement to improve outcomes and ensure that:

  • communities are central to the process
  • effective collaboration and joint resourcing takes place among partners
  • a robust evidence base is used to ensure efforts are targeted on areas of greatest need
  • a real and sustainable reduction in inequalities is achieved.

The focus of the Act is not a new approach but a natural progression in the ongoing reform for public services that gained added impetus with the publication of the Christie Commission report in 2011. In particular, Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) are being handed a new set of powers, and increased expectations, designed to raise ambition around reducing inequality and enhancing community participation. There are three core elements to these powers and expectations: Local Outcomes Improvement Plan; participation requests; asset transfer.

Download our briefing note for more information on the short- and medium-term expectations of CPPs.

Our products and services

We provide a number of programmes, products and services for organisations that work with Scottish councils. Our prospectus for local government partners details the products and services available to local government partner organisations in the wider Scottish public and third sectors.

Download the Prospectus for Local Government Partners

Knowledge Hub groups

Community Planning Network in Scotland

CPPs can use our Partnership Checklist to assess their own performance against these expectations and gain an understanding of the nature and extent of improvement support required to meet them. The IS can support CPPs with the facilitation of the Partnership Checklist.

Download the Partnership Checklist

We also offer a range of support to CPPs. Use the links on the left to explore the support available across a range of themes.