Residents gather at Falkirk Council’s first Community Assembly to put their views forward
Local residents came together to share their views and help shape local services at Falkirk Council’s first Community Assembly.
Held on Saturday, October 24, individual residents and representatives from community councils, local groups and organisations gathered at Forth Valley College for the first Community Assembly.
Despite the unpleasant weather from Storm Boelo, more than 40 people still showed up to discuss the local authority’s Clean Green Action Team, which was the focus of this first meeting.
The Clean Green Action Team was created by the council in response to a previous budget consultation, where residents called for more intensive action on issues such as fly-tipping, litter, and graffiti. A grand £800,000 was allocated in year one for the creation of this new service.
The Assembly, hosted by the Communities team, allowed officers from Environment and Operations to introduce the new Team and showcase examples of the positive work the service has already completed.
During the meeting, residents and community representatives participated in interactive workshops to share their views on how the service should grow and where its efforts should be focused.
Feedback from the session included support for joint working between the Team and community groups and calls for better communication and support for volunteers and community groups.
It will be used to shape the Clean Green Action Team and how it operates with communities.
Councillor Paul Garner, acting leader of Falkirk Council, said: “Community Assemblies are about giving people a real opportunity to influence the services and issues that affect their communities.
"We want to go further than simply asking people for their views. We want people to be part of the discussion, tell us what matters to them and help us decide what happens next.
“This is our first Community Assembly, but it won’t be our last. It shows that when people take part in our budget engagement and share their views, they can make a real difference.”
The Community Assemblies aim to give residents a chance to explore issues in depth, listen to other opinions, and have a greater say in how services should respond to local priorities. Future Assemblies are planned, yet topics are still to be determined.