DISCLAIMER:

This duty is currently under review and has not yet been formally signed off by the relevant professional association. The information provided is for reference only and should not be treated as final or authoritative guidance. Please verify any decisions against approved sources or seek professional advice. Updates will be published once sign-off is complete.

Simple terms explainer

Councils should actively promote and facilitate community ownership, decision-making, and empowerment initiatives. This includes enabling and supporting community bodies to influence local services and resources through participation requests, participatory budgeting, and strengthening community councils. Councils must make it straightforward for local communities to buy, lease, manage, or use public land and buildings, assessing transfer requests transparently and using clear criteria. They also fund and encourage community-led regeneration, support allocation of budgets, and uphold national standards for community engagement.

Legal status

Discretionary


Duty category

Community services

Community planning


Duty type

Public impact


Social determinant of health

Social and community context

Emerging policy and legislation

1

Bodies with shared interest

Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
Improvement Service
Audit Scotland

Standards and frameworks


3