The Improvement Service has mapped community wealth building (CWB) activities across Scotland to form a picture of progress and potential of the economic development approach.
This baseline mapping of CWB activities across Scotland’s local authorities reveals a rich tapestry of approaches, innovation, and collaboration. It shows that community wealth building has been widely adopted, shifting the focus from traditional economic development to one that retains wealth in communities, strengthens local supply chains, and improves wellbeing.
Through a review of local strategies, action plans, and updates from practitioners, the baseline mapping aims to:
- Understand Scotland’s current CWB landscape
- Identify emerging best practices
- Spot opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing
Key Findings
1. Growing momentum and varying approaches
Momentum and activity around CWB is clearly building. By March 2025, two-thirds of local authorities in Scotland had either developed or were actively working on a dedicated CWB action plan. Over half of Scotland’s councils have chosen to incorporate CWB into existing or emerging strategies rather than waiting for forthcoming legislation to dictate the form of their approach. Four councils have already published standalone CWB strategies, while two more have drafts in development.
However, it is also clear that some local authorities are holding back from producing standalone documents as they await national legislative guidance. Nevertheless, CWB principles are increasingly being embedded into local strategies and economic development work, reflecting a genuine commitment to this new way of thinking.
The mapping has underscored the need for a balanced team—combining officers with detailed service-level knowledge to shape effective actions and senior management representation to provide strategic direction and momentum for the CWB agenda. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach, and local authorities are tailoring their governance structures to their specific contexts, priorities, and resources.
Many are opting for integrated approaches that leverage existing partnerships and departmental responsibilities, while others are establishing more formal structures to drive the CWB agenda. For example, in North Lanarkshire a working group has been established within the community planning partnership, while in South Lanarkshire there is a commission, progress group and officer group working in parallel to progress CWB.
2. Anchor institutions and collaborative working
A vital element of community wealth building is the involvement of anchor institutions—large public, private, and third-sector organisations that have a significant and lasting presence in local areas. More than half of Scotland’s local authorities have established anchor groups, and within these, Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) often play a key role. While involved in all anchor groups, some CPPs have even taken the lead in driving CWB forward in their areas.
Examples of best practice include the Orkney Islands, where the CPP has firmly committed to implementing CWB by setting out ten priority actions. Dumfries and Galloway’s CPP has engaged all statutory partners in undertaking the NHS Anchor Benchmarking exercise to understand their impact as anchor institutions. Falkirk’s CPP has created a dedicated subgroup focusing on community health and wealth building, demonstrating how anchor groups can bring focus to this work.
Regional collaboration is also emerging as a theme, with groups forming famously across Ayrshire and now also in the North East and the Forth Valley, to coordinate CWB activities across larger geographies and have broader regional impact.
3. Five pillars of community wealth building
The mapping exercise explored what types of projects councils are progressing across the five traditional pillars of CWB: spending, finance, land and assets, inclusive ownership, and workforce. Each pillar presents its own opportunities and challenges, with best practices emerging throughout.
The spending pillar is widely seen as the most straightforward area to make progress. Many councils are taking innovative approaches to procurement, with Dundee City Council using frameworks that prioritise local suppliers within a 40-mile radius. South Ayrshire Council is supporting local businesses through ‘myth-buster’ events that demystify the procurement process. Meanwhile, Orkney Islands Council has embraced joint procurement to ensure that local businesses benefit from contracts, particularly in food provision. A key challenge that has been highlighted is an inconsistency in definitions of 'local' spend, making comparisons challenging. Furthermore, existing data management tools are inadequate for tracking local spending and identifying potential suppliers, making it difficult to obtain comprehensive information on local supply chains.
The finance pillar has proven to be the most challenging to progress. Questions remain around the role of local authorities, particularly concerning pensions. Despite this, several councils are finding creative ways to make a difference. North Lanarkshire is connecting credit unions with local businesses to offer payroll deductions, while South Ayrshire’s local gift card scheme has circulated £0.5 million within the local economy. Dundee City Council has even embedded financial advice services within GP surgeries and schools to ensure that financial wellbeing is part of community care.
The land and assets pillar offers some of the most striking examples of CWB in action. Councils like Highland and Eilean Siar have well-developed Community Asset Transfer (CAT) processes, with the latter achieving a remarkable 70% success rate in transferring assets to community ownership. Clackmannanshire’s Living Alloa project transformed a derelict town centre site into dementia-friendly flats, while West Lothian supported a community development trust to turn a derelict bakery into a discovery centre. Nonetheless, challenges remain, particularly around the liability of asset transfers and the need for dedicated resources to manage the process.
Inclusive ownership remains one of the more complex and difficult pillars to progress, often hampered by bureaucracy and the local IDBM landscape. Some examples of work include North Lanarkshire is driving forward its Social Enterprise Framework and accelerator programs, while South Ayrshire has helped establish a traders’ cooperative on New Market Street. Councils like East Lothian are also working to support social enterprises by running events that explore diverse business models.
Finally, the workforce pillar is seeing councils adopt fair work principles and employment charters. North Lanarkshire has introduced a fair funding charter to encourage real living wage commitments and local hiring. Fife’s Life Chances model is rethinking recruitment processes through a CWB lens, while Inverclyde has strengthened its relationship with trade unions through a formal pledge. South Lanarkshire has established an employer engagement team that works directly with local businesses to align employability support with CWB aims.
4. Emerging themes and future priorities
A number of cross-cutting themes are shaping how CWB is developing across Scotland. One of the strongest is the increasing interest in place-based and locality approaches. Councils recognise that local economies are complex and diverse and that CWB initiatives need to be tailored to reflect the specific characteristics, challenges, and opportunities of different areas within their jurisdiction. Tools such as Place Plans are seen as vital in helping identify local priorities and ensuring that actions are grounded in the needs of specific communities.
Another significant theme is the growing effort to integrate climate change and sustainability into CWB work. Although not traditionally considered part of the five core pillars, environmental considerations are becoming a natural extension of community wealth building efforts. Some councils have formally added a 'climate pillar' to their CWB strategies while others are weaving sustainability into anchor charters and procurement practices. The potential for renewable energy developments to deliver for communities is a key focus area for local authorities with significant renewable development potential. Overall, this climate focus reflects a growing understanding that local economic resilience and environmental responsibility are inherently linked.
Two other specific areas of focus are emerging within CWB projects: childcare and food and catering. Access to affordable childcare is increasingly recognised as essential for supporting inclusive employment and economic participation. Likewise, initiatives around local food production and supply chains are gaining momentum as councils explore how to strengthen local economies while addressing food security and sustainability goals.
While enthusiasm and activity around CWB are growing, several priority areas for development have been identified through the mapping exercise.
One of these is the need for a more coordinated approach to community benefits. Councils noted wide variations in how community benefits are being applied and tracked, leading to a desire for greater understanding of what is working well and where. By sharing learning and good practice, local authorities hope to reduce duplication of effort and create more consistent and impactful approaches to securing community benefits through procurement and investment.
Alongside this, there is a clear need to focus on developing effective measurement and reporting mechanisms. As CWB strategies mature, councils are increasingly aware of the importance of having robust systems in place to monitor progress, measure impact, and refine actions. Exploring options for a shared framework or common indicators will be essential to support transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Looking forward: supporting the implementation of community wealth building
This mapping highlights a dynamic and evolving landscape for community wealth building in Scotland. While approaches and levels of progress vary, there is a clear commitment across many local authorities to explore and implement CWB principles. The focus on embedding CWB, developing action-oriented plans, and learning from each other suggests a growing understanding of how to leverage local resources and partnerships to create more equitable and prosperous communities. The anticipated forthcoming legislation will further shape and drive the CWB agenda in the years to come.
This baseline mapping confirms that CWB is no longer a fringe idea but a growing movement that is reshaping how councils think about local economies. By continuing to share knowledge, develop common tools, and support each other, Scotland is well-positioned to lead the way in creating more equitable, sustainable, and resilient communities.