Inverkip and Wemyss Bay
Community Council (ward 20)

In December 2003, the two village community councils merged to form a new community council which falls in line with the ward 20 boundary.

Monthly meetings for the community council are usually held in the Rogues Room at Inverkip Hotel on the first Thursday of each month at 7.30pm. All meetings are open to the public and should you have any issues you wish to bring up either contact one of the community council members listed below or just turn up.

Chairman - Innes Nelson (01475) 520092.
Vice Chair - Hugh Ritchie 521201.
Treasurer - Ron Potter 520522.
Secretary - Lynne Chambers 522603.
Members -
Harold McPherson (Wemyss Bay) 07977 126519,
Brian McArthur 521688,
Liz Roders (Wemyss Bay) 520140.

Web site: http://www.inverkip-wemyssbaycc.co.uk/
Email:

Minutes of meetings (most recent first):

• 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
• 2007
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
• 2006
  • December 2006
  • November 2006
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • June 2006
  • May 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • January 2006 - AGM
• 2005
  • December 2005
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • April 2005
  • March 2005
  • February 2005
  • January 2005
• 2004
  • December 2004
  • November 2004
  • October 2004
  • September 2004
  • August 2004
  • July 2004
  • June 2004
  • May 2004
  • April 2004
  • March 2004
  • February 2004
  • January 2004 - additional business meeting
  • January 2004

What is the Community Council and what do they do?

Community Councils were created in the mid-70s, as part of the same local government reform that gave us Strathclyde and the other Regional Councils. They were meant to be the local counterbalance to the giantism of the regions.

They are peculiarly Scottish, English equivalent used to be parish councils, since abolished, as far as we understand.

Each local authority has to have a scheme for community councils within its territory. Blanket rules state that they must be non party political, and must be given access to local authority planning applications and decisions. Their role is to represent their agreed community's concerns and views to local authority, Scottish Executive, police and health trust boards etc, and to facilitate and encourage beneficial activities within the community they serve.

There are meant to be elections whenever more people wish to serve than there are fixed places. In practice, apathy means many areas do not have CCs at all, and it is almost unknown for elections ever to be needed. Existing CCs have powers to co-opt interested locals to join them as they see fit, up to the maximum permitted number. This reality has led to accusations that CCs are undemocratic, largely true but caused by public apathy.

Most local activists in practice are single cause, e.g. environment or anti-development, and so lack the wide general community focus required.