14/03/2023

In the past, there have been meetings of a federation of local Community Councils, where members of Community Councils can meet with other local Community Councillors and discuss common issues and how each group might have attempted to deal with these issues. A simple example would be where one Community Council has recently received funding and built a playpark, and another one wishes to do the same thing. In such cases, it makes sense to share information and make life easier for each other.

Another benefit of a constituted body like this would be where there is a common issue affecting more than one Community Council, the Federation would be able to apply for funding on behalf of the whole group, potentially allowing the individual Community Councils to apply for separate funding for different issues.

The previous Federation disbanded sometime before 2020, and efforts have been underway to attempt to reform as a "Ward 2 Federation of Community Councils". Within Ward 2 of Dumfries & Galloway, are the following Community Council areas:
Castle Kennedy (currently disestablished), Cree Valley, Garlieston, Isle of Whithorn, Kirkcowan, Kirkmabreck, New Luce, Old Luce, Port William, Sorbie, Whithorn, Wigtown.

The first meeting was held on Tuesday 28th February in Wigtown and simply discussed the wording of the constitution, which is to be updated from a 2016 to include a little more opportunity for online meetings, among other things.

If the constitution is adopted and a sufficient number of Community Councils opt to join, we'll keep you up to date with how things progress.