Council invite community to join decision making

Jan 20 2011 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

WEST Lothian Council are set to invite trades unions and the wider community to actively participate in the local authority’s decision making.

Council leader Peter Johnston has confirmed that he will seek Council Executive approval for extending the Policy Development and Scrutiny Panels membership in February.

At the moment PDSPs met regularly in public where councillors consider policy issues and question officers on the delivery of council services.

But under the new proposals from the leader it is planned to ask representatives from various groups across the county to join the panels which Councillor Johnston says will help shape future council policies.

The council leader said: “The PDSP’s are a vital part of the council’s decision making process but also provide genuine opportunities for officers and policies to be closely scrutinised to ensure that we are delivering the very best in public services.

“These PDSP’s are currently made up of elected councillors from all political parties. During our recent Tough Choices consultation we invited our council unions and representatives from the community, including the voluntary sector, community councils, the Senior Peoples’ Forum, Youth Congress and Parent Councils to join the PDSP’s to fully participate in our deliberations.

“I believe that everyone concerned considered this to be extremely worthwhile and that the opportunity for our unions and community to have a direct say in the direction the council was looking to travel in was very beneficial and helped improve both the decision making process but also to deliver better decisions.

“Our Services for the Community PDSP is already enhanced by the direct contributions of council tenants and I look forward to our trades unions and community members adding their expertise to all the other PDSP’s.

“We are clearly saying ‘come and join us, to our unions and community as we believe that through us all working together we can come though the tough times ahead in the best possible shape.”