Chamber and committees

Thanks. Does anyone else in the room or online want to contribute on that point?

It was about whether there is even an awareness of community planning and the benefits that it can bring. Do people even know that it exists?

I did, but Mark McAteer and Oliver Escobar have helpfully covered it in their extensive answers. Thanks for that.

I have another question about comments that the committee heard from the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights. It stated that it has a concern that CPPs may be “race-blind” when it comes to tackling inequalities. How do you ensure that all communities, including communities of interest and identity, people with protected characteristics and those who are marginalised, have their voices heard in community planning, and that community planning partners are aware of the issues that are affecting particular interest groups?

What experience do the witnesses have of helping marginalised and disempowered communities to build capacity and confidence so that they can engage with the community planning process? At a more basic level, is there even a public awareness of what community planning is and what it can do to support communities?

My second question is for Bernadette Monaghan. We heard from the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights that CPPs may be “race-blind” when it comes to tackling inequalities. What do you do in practice to ensure that fall communities, including communities of interest and identity, get their voices heard in community planning?

I will go to Mark McAteer first. The Community Planning Improvement Board said that councils seem to be focused on consultation and engagement, but not necessarily on empowering communities to make decisions. Will you set out for the committee the difference between consultation and engagement, and empowerment? Do you have any examples from across the country of what genuine empowerment looks like?

Yes, I am finished, convener. Thank you.

The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 was supposed to strengthen people’s voices and to give them a say in the services that they rely on. Has that been realised at all as a result of the act, particularly in relation to disadvantaged and marginalised communities? What more should we be asking Government to do to realise that and to give those marginalised and disadvantaged communities a voice in the services that they rely on?

My final question, which is a broad one, is probably for all four witnesses. Are people in the groups with which you are involved even aware of community planning partnerships? Do they know what the partnerships do and how to get involved in them?