Your Community Council

The process of establishing a Community Council in an area that does not have one begins by a local person asking for a Petition - you can get the Petition to start the process from the Communities Team in Glasgow City Council. Once the Petition is signed by at least twenty local people who are on the electoral register, and who reside in the boundary area of the Community Council to become established, it can be submitted to Glasgow City Council, formally requesting that the formation of a new Community Council shall be initiated in the named area.

Those signing the Petition are not committing themselves to becoming Community Councillors - however Petitioners are showing a commitment to form a steering committee whose task is to familiarise themselves and adopt a Constitution on behalf of the proposed Community Council which will govern its affairs. This part of the process may take several meetings, and the City Council may provide funding to facilitate the steering committee phase, such as providing a venue, and covering any appropriate administrative costs. Once the Constitution is in place, the steering committee is then dissolved, having fulfilled its purpose. Glasgow City Council will then handle the election phase, issuing a call for nominations, and making arrangements to hold an election meeting or contested election.

Below provides an indication of the process to form a Community Council:

1) Request for a Petition by a local resident

2) Completed Petition (signed by 20 local people who are on the electoral register and local residents) is returned to Glasgow City Council

3) Call Petitioners to the inaugural meeting to form a steering committee

4) Inaugural meeting

• provide funds for operation of steering committee if appropriate
• adopt constitution
• elect interim office bearers for the period of the steering committee's operation (if required)

5) Subsequent steering committee meeting(s)

• constitution (further comments)
• set arrangements for call of nominations
• Communities Team set closing date for nominations and date for election meeting or contested election

6) Election arrangements

• Communities Team arrange issue of nomination forms
• Communities Team arrange public notice posters
• Glasgow City Council appoint acting Independent Returning Officer (IRO)
• Publicity process arrangements

7) Election Meeting or Contested Election

• declaration of election results
• contested election by ballot, if nominations exceed places available

8) Initial meeting of new community council, organised by Communities Team

• Office bearers elected (more time may be taken to enable new members to get to know each other's strengths)
• Copy of Governance documentation provided to all members and understanding of responsibilities clarified
• Induction processes
• Consider any need for sub committees and/or associate members
• Consider nominations of members and/or links to be made with external bodies
• Set dates of future meetings

The Communities Team provides appropriate support and guidance to every Community Council in Glasgow, as well as to ensure that existing Community Councils are working effectively, in full compliance with the Scheme of Establishment for Community Councils.

Key functions of the Communities Team include:

• supporting the formation and development of Community Councils in Glasgow
• responding to enquiries from the wider public in relation to Community Councils
• ensuring that Community Councils are democratically accountable to the local community
• arranging financial assistance to all Community Councils through the administration allowance subject to being in accordance with the Scheme
• coordinating regular capacity building activities e.g. the Community Councils Development Sessions
• advising Community Councils on difficult issues
• offering appropriate support in instances where this may be necessary
• encouraging the development of Community Councils in Glasgow 
• promoting the work of Community Councils to the general public

Community Councils requiring support from Glasgow City Council should contact the Communities Team via:

Email: communitycouncils@glasgow.gov.uk
Telephone: 0141 287 0060
Post: Community Councils, Glasgow City Council, Communities Team, 82 George Square, Glasgow, G2 1DU

To contact Community Councils in Glasgow please refer to the public contact list (PDF, 1 MB).

The Communities Team makes every effort to provide accurate and current information. However, it does not give any warranty or representation of any kind with respect to the sites listed below or their contents, including warranties in respect of the accuracy, completeness, appropriateness or currency of the information therein. End-users should check with organisations represented on the below list that information relating to them is accurate and current. The views expressed by individual Community Councils are not those of Glasgow City Council.