• 9. John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP):

  To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to strengthening community councils. (S4O-05704)

• The Minister for Local Government and Community Empowerment (Marco Biagi):

  Although local authorities have statutory oversight of community councils, the Government has been working with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the Improvement Service and Edinburgh Napier University to further enhance their role.

• John Mason:

  Does the minister share my concern that, although we want to push power down to local communities below the city council level, it is difficult when many community councils are not active, or are kept going only by a very small band of people?

• Marco Biagi:

  I share that concern. Community councils that do not feel listened to will not attract people and will struggle to recruit. Our work includes a website to support community councils; digital engagement workshops to support them in recruiting new people; and a fairer Scotland community council event that we are hosting, to which all community councils are invited.

  Last year, I met the national body for English parish and town councils to learn more about their system. I would describe myself as actively interested, but any further work would be for the next Administration, of which I will clearly not be a part, to take forward.

– See more at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=10446#sthash.UkCTBLsp.dpuf

John discusses Land reform, the Basic Income and Earth Hour.

That the Parliament notes that 19 March 2016 once again sees the World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Earth Hour and everyone is encouraged to switch off lights for one hour from 8.30pm; understands that, since it started in 2007, the WWF Earth Hour has been a unique display of darkness bringing together hundreds of millions of people each year, with 2015 involving a record-breaking 172 countries; congratulates the people of Glasgow on its being named Scotland’s Earth Hour Champion for its advocacy in 2015; notes that more information about Earth Hour can be found on the WWF website, and encourages households, businesses and other organisations to take part in WWF’s Earth Hour to show their support for tackling climate change.

March Edition 2016 – Parliamentary Patter

• New Powers to Parliament
• Last Cross Party Group on Rail
• FGM Discussed in Parliament
• Scottish Apprenticeship Week
• John Sponsers Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol Event
• Motions lodged in Parliament