Our last Community Council meeting (13/6) was followed by our AGM.

Once again that brought membership questions into focus.   Our average age is increasing and we would really like to see younger folks taking the reins, immediately if possible and certainly by next year, when a full election is scheduled, (May/June 2024) requiring current incumbents to step down and offering openings for new blood to replace our aging office-bearers.  

Recently our younger members have pushed us toward more modern ways of doing things, and one of the unexpected effects of lockdown was the realisation that the guiding principles for meetings and paperwork implicit in our Constitution were increasingly obsolete.

Of course, such matters reflect successful historic practices but they also tend to be accepted without question by an older generation less adept with modern information handling, so fresh approaches would be very helpful in keeping our CC relevant.

City Councillors are our representatives in the local government system but inevitably party political in decision making, often resulting in “one size fits all” policies.   Because CCs are obliged to be apolitical, they offer a means to draw attention to how these affect local areas specifically, and they can make sure local views are fully heard on issues which are sometimes uncomfortable for City Councillors affiliated to particular party persuasions.

It is also not unusual that poor decisions actually made for administrative convenience by unelected officials are ‘justified’ by real or perceived constraints financial or otherwise.

It’s not surprising that very stretched (and often generalist) City Councillors can be tempted to acquiesce to such pressures especially from technical experts, but CCs can be influential in finding a more appropriate balance.

Younger people are of course busy with family or career concerns, but the future welfare of the whole community is still better placed in their hands.

Tom McDonald

Co Chair

Colinton Community Council

PLEASE SEE: Colinton Community Council - could you be more involved?