Fossoway

Scottish Community Councils date from 1976, when they were established after the Local Government Act of 1973. Community Councils are elected by the community. The remit of CCs is to give communities a voice. Community Councillors are not engaged in party politics- they act on behalf of the community.

What does Fossoway and District Community Council do?

The main focus of FDCC is the monthly public meeting. FDCC takes the phrase ‘local democracy’ very seriously and therefore has meetings in all four communities that are part of the Fossoway District: Crook of Devon, Powmill, Blairingone and Carnbo. We try to have representatives of each community in the CC. Local issues, brought to our attention are on the agenda of each meeting. The Community Police Officer will –if possible- attend and report on policing matters. We deal with correspondence and planning matters. All planning applications are discussed: the CC will accept or reject planning applications with an eye on the wider issues, and will take into account the local feeling about an application. A rejection of a planning application counts as one objection in the system of Perth and Kinross Council; a total of six objections are necessary for any application to go to Committee.

Our remit is wide and varied: we deal with dog waste and litter bins in one meeting, with T-in-the-Park and multi-million pound planning applications in the next: no meeting is the same, no meeting is boring.

What does a Community Councillor do?

To be a Community Councillor you have to live in the area of the FDCC and eligible to vote for the CC. The minimum commitment is to attend the monthly meetings and to contribute to the CC when needed. Most of us attend other meetings as a CCllr: T-in-the-Park Community Forum, A977 mitigation measures, Kinross-shire Fund, Strategy group and other, more ad-hoc type meetings. Most of the Councillors have their specialty: planning, roads, T-in-the-Park. Office bearers have of course special duties: Chair, Treasurer, Secretary.

What do you get out of being a Community Councillor?

Being a CCllr is a voluntary position. It is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to your environment and community and to make a change for the better. Being a CCllr can be frustrating sometimes, but when things work (improvements for our community in the T-in-the-Park organisation; Keep the Post Office Campaign, A977 Mitigation measures) it is enormously rewarding. It also is a way to meet a wide variety of people whom you would never have met otherwise; and to see our villages in a different light.

What can you do to help us?

Stand for Community Councillor: one term is three years and you will work in a very pro-active and welcoming team. If being a CCllr is not for you: come to our meetings: let us know what you think! Talk to us about the issues that worry you, and what you think needs done to make our villages vibrant and sustainable communities. We will listen!