Aims
To establish clear, easy to use, channels of communication in relation to members of the public, other agencies, fellow members and PKC councillors and officers.
The DBCC aims to provide information on important matters affecting the community and to encourage informed comment from members of the community, interested individuals and groups.
Each member of DBCC has a duty to represent, without bias, the interests of the whole community.
She/he will always try to help with regard to matters relating to the community within the group. However, an individual member of DBCC cannot express the view of the Community Council in response to enquiries from the public outside of DBCC meetings. Neither can an individual DBCC member, make a decision on behalf of DBCC.
Means of Communication:
Website
In the interests of transparency and to provide electors with a clear picture of its activities, DBCC will publish information on the Bridge website. This will include a summary of actions to which DBCC members have committed themselves to taking (presented in list form), DBCC meeting agendas, the full minutes of DBCC meetings and a future meetings scheme. Hard copies of minutes should be available on request to the DBCC Secretary.
Notice boards and phone boxes
The notice boards on the Bridge in Dunkeld and at the bus stop nearest Best One in Birnam and the two phone boxes in Dunkeld and Birnam should display contact details for the DBCC Secretary and the agenda for the next meeting along with any other items of interest.
Meetings
DBCC meets on the second Monday of the month, except August, at 7pm at various venues, currently via video conferencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and general greening (details provided on the agenda). During every DBCC meeting there are opportunities for members of the public to raise matters of concern or to comment on items on the agenda. The Chair will ask members of the public present at DBCC meetings if there is a particular agenda item in which they have an interest or if there is a particular issue on which they would like to speak.
Agendas and supporting material
DBCC meeting agendas will be produced and shared with the DBCC members at least one week prior to the DBCC meeting. All agendas and meeting supporting material should be published on the DBCC website and Facebook page at least 3 days prior to the meeting taking place.
Annual General Meeting of the DBCC
This meeting will be held in October annually, according to the terms set out in the DBCC constitution. The cc will hold meetings on every 2nd Monday and post reminders on Facebook and in the Bridge. The AGM will be held at the start of the planned meeting in October each year.
Social Media
DBCC will use Facebook in order to promote the activities of the DBCC.
All DBCC Facebook material will be managed by an authorised Communications Officer under delegated authority from the DBCC.
Posts should be current, relevant and limited to:
- Information about DBCC and its business
- Local community announcements
- Community events
Private, individual businesses should not be promoted.
Correspondence
All correspondence to DBCC should be addressed to the Secretary. This will ensure that the matter is recorded and passed to DBCC for their attention at the next meeting.
If a member of the community wishes a subject to be raised, and it is appropriate for discussion at a DBCC meeting, then the Secretary will have to be notified seven days before the publication of the agenda.
DBCC will determine the response, if any, to correspondence received. DBCC reserve the right to not respond to any correspondents that are taking up a disproportionate amount of the Secretary’s time. Advice will be sought upon receipt of vexatious communications and acted upon accordingly.
All official correspondence from DBCC should be sent by the Secretary or the Chair in the name of the DBCC. Correspondence from individual DBCC members should be avoided; however, there may be exceptional situations when it is appropriate for a DBCC member to issue correspondence in his/her own name. Such correspondence must be authorised by the DBCC.
Communication with the Press and Public
DBCC Secretary will clear all press reports, or comments to the media, in consultation with the Chair. The Secretary will be the first point of contact for the media; however, where it is appropriate for a DBCC member to represent the DBCC, the Chair or Vice-Chair shall be authorised as the official spokespeople for DBCC.
DBCC members should ensure that, if expressing a personal view to the press, it is made clear that they are not expressing the opinion of the Community Council.
DBCC members will be regularly approached by members of the community as this is part of their role. How enquiries from the public are dealt with by DBCC members will reflect on DBCC. At no time should DBCC members make any promises to the public about any matter raised with them other than to promise to investigate the matter. All manner of issues may be raised, many of which may not be relevant to DBCC. Depending on the issue raised it may be appropriate to deal with the matter in the following ways:
• refer the matter to the rest of the DBCC for comment;
• request an item on the next meeting agenda;
Unless a DBCC member is absolutely certain that he/she is reporting the view of the Council, they must make it clear to members of the public that they are expressing a personal view. The only clear way of being aware of the DBCC’s view is if the matter has been discussed at a DBCC meeting, and a decision made on that item.
Internal Communications
E-mails should be kept to a minimum and be appropriate to the work of the DBCC.
Instant replies should not be expected from members of the DBCC.
When DBCC members communicate with each other by email, they should use the “Reply All” option to ensure that all Councillors are fully aware of all the information which is pertinent to them and the point under discussion.
This policy is not designed to preclude private and or personal communications between DBCC members in the general operation of the DBCC.
Communication good practice:
Communication must:
- have a defined purpose;
- be civil, tasteful and relevant;
- not contain content that is knowingly unlawful, libellous, defamatory, abusive, threatening, obscene, profane, sexually oriented or racially offensive;
- not unwittingly or knowingly contain content subject to copyright obtained from elsewhere unless it has been used with the express permission of the copyright
owner;
- not contain any personal information, other than necessary basic contact details.
- not be used for the dissemination of any political advertising.
It is important that all communication from DBCC is appropriate, timely, of interest to the local community, professional and reflects the decisions and policies of DBCC.
Adopted at DBCC meeting, 13 December 2021.
The Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee wish to share information about their inquiry into the impact of bank closures.
The main inspiration behind the Committee's inquiry is that the number of bank branches across Scotland reduced by a third between 2010 and 2017. They want to hear from as many people as possible (both as members of a community council, as a business owner or as an individual), and are keen to find out how branch closures have impacted communities at as local a level as possible.
More information is available in the hyperlinks below.
Bank closures: impact on local businesses, consumers and the Scottish economy inquiry: http://parliament.scot/
The Call for views. For the call for views, there isn't a requirement to answer every question, only the ones that are relevant to the community. http://parliament.scot/
The Committee are also running a survey that is targeted more to individuals and businesses. The intention of the survey is to capture as many views as possible and the call for views is there to allow a fuller response. http://bit.ly/bankclosures
If there are any questions about the inquiry please email economyjobsandfairwork@
The Scottish Government has announced that the 2017/18 Community Choices Fund is open for applications.
First launched in 2016/17, the Community Choices Fund is a new fund to support participatory budgeting (PB) in Scotland. PB is recognised internationally as a way for local people to have a direct say in how public funds can be used to address local needs. Targeted particularly at work in deprived areas, the fund aims to build on the support provided by the Scottish Government for PB since 2014 as part of a broader agenda around democratic innovation and engaged citizenship.
£1.5 million of the Community Choices Fund is available for Community Organisations and Community Councils. The fund’s aim is to support PB activity which will significantly expand opportunities for more local people to make decisions on local spending priorities and contribute to local participatory democracy. The closing date for applications is midnight 21 July 2017.
For more information go to: https://pbscotland.scot/blog/2017/6/9/community-choices-fund-announced-for-201718
Christmas Light Switch On, PKAVS Volunteers Needed, 2-7pm 19th November
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