Chamber and committees

I have a supplementary question on community asset transfers. I am struggling to think of an example in my community—I represent the Motherwell and Wishaw constituency. Is there a demographic issue? Is there a geographical issue? Why do some local authorities embrace the idea more than others? Are there examples of good practice in engaging with communities?

Good morning, and a very warm welcome to the 16th meeting in 2023 of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Are members content to consider a draft of the committee’s annual report in private at future meetings?

Members indicated agreement.

Agenda item 2 is evidence taking for our culture in communities inquiry, which is focused on taking a place-based approach to culture. This morning, we are joined by Craig McLaren, director of Scotland, Ireland and English regions, Royal Town Planning Institute; Johanna Boyd, chief executive, Planning Aid for Scotland; and Ailsa Macfarlane, director, Built Environment Forum Scotland. I welcome you all to the meeting. I should also say that we have received apologies from Euan Leitch, the chief executive of SURF—Scotland’s Regeneration Forum.

We will move straight to questions, and I will open by asking about the extent to which culture and heritage are prioritised in planning across Scotland. How can they be more embedded in the planning process? Perhaps we can start with Ms Macfarlane.

That feeds into the inequality that you mentioned earlier. Do you want to come in on that point, Ms Macfarlane?

As we have exhausted our questions, I thank you all for your attendance and for your helpful submissions to the committee.

That is an interesting point. In the household survey, you rely on people identifying as volunteers. Maybe a hall keeper from a church who opens it up for a dance lesson would not consider themselves a volunteer, so that is interesting.

In my area, we have Lanarkshire Association for Mental Health. The one venue that is open for free-to-access crafting, music lessons, art classes and knitting is the premises that LAMH’s mental health cafe has taken on, which are an old cinema in our area. It is interesting to see how a charity that is not an arts charity could help and support your organisations. Those are interesting comments.

Another area that has come up frequently in our evidence sessions is the idea of social prescribing. Do you see that in action? Are there opportunities to do more in that area?

As there are no further questions from members, I thank the witnesses for their contributions this morning, which will be helpful to our inquiry, and their written submissions, which were well received by all the committee members. We still have quite a few evidence sessions to go in the inquiry, and I am sure that we will have some reflections when our report comes out. I hope that the witnesses will be able to take part in the launch when it happens.

We now move into private session.

Thank you very much. We will move to questions from members. Mr Bibby is first.