Thank you for the invitation to come and speak to you today. It is always a pleasure to talk to our partners, whether in my capacity as leader of the Council or as chair of the Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership.

Before I get into the detail of my presentation I’d like to pass on apologies from Sally Reid, the Council’s new Chief Executive. This is the end of her fifth week in post and a whirlwind of introductions. She was keen to be here to meet you, but unfortunately personal commitments and preparations for her first meeting of Convention of Highlands and Islands mean that a formal introduction will happen later, but I do know that she has already had the pleasure of meeting some of you.

When I spoke to you last year, we were fresh from the elections that brought significant changes locally and nationally. At that time it was clear that the pace of change had increased. I can tell you that in the last year the pace has quickened once again.

There has been change for all sectors. I’d like to pick out some highlights that are important for the Council, but also in terms of our relationships with our partners – including you.

One of the biggest changes was the Concordat agreed between national and local government last November. The agreement is not even one year old, but has had a marked effect on how we all work together and will continue to do so for years to come. The Concordat talks of parity of esteem between national and local government. I believe that principal actually runs through different relationships with all our partners – including you.

The Concordat heralded the Single Outcome Agreement as a focus for public sector service delivery in each council area. This year’s agreement was intended for Council and Government – with CPP partners if possible. I am pleased to report that Argyll and Bute is one of only 15 Councils across Scotland who has CPP Partner input to the SOA. A clear demonstration of our intent to involve partners – including you.

The Association of Community Councils has been involved in community planning meetings where the SOA was discussed and changed. For me, as the Council leader and third sector champion, the involvement of the third sector in the SOA is essential – whether community councils, voluntary organisations or social enterprises providing important services. You have important links to our communities; can reach people that we find it harder to reach; provide important links to represent the diverse views from across the third sector. A healthy and dynamic third sector, including community councils, is an important sign of the vibrant communities we want to see as part of the vision for Argyll and Bute to be the Leading Rural Area

The Single Outcome Agreement also includes detail of how the CPP will direct the Fairer Scotland Fund – a combination of previous funds to focus on inequalities; deprived communities and groups; and engagement with community planning. This will be set out in what we’re calling the Fairer Argyll and Bute Plan – the FAB Plan.

In May, I presented a challenge presented to the organisations that support the third sector to come forward with proposals to access funding from the Fairer Scotland Fund – potentially up to £180,000 per annum to improve the quality of services delivered to third sector organisations and to make it easier for those organisations to access support.

We have described outcomes we’d like to see this work achieve, but at the core is what I call the three Cs – capacity, competence and confidence. We need all three to ensure that we have effective partnership working based on mutual trust to deliver what our communities need.

I am pleased to see that those organisations have come together, involved others and created the Third Sector Steering Group. A new forum that gives confidence that 3rd sector, including community councils, are committed to better dialogue between each other and as a result to have a clearer voice within CPP and with all partners locally.

I need to emphasise that when I talk about a clearer voice I do not mean a single voice. I know that the third sector is diverse, with many views. I feel confident that clearer expression of that diversity – points where there is agreement and points where there is not – will help foster greater trust, stronger partnership working and better quality services

The Third Sector Steering Group has come forward with proposals this week. Council officers are still considering the detail and I expect there to be further dialogue as we build better relationships. I am also pleased to see that the Association of Community Councils has been an active contributor to the Steering Group.

These changes also impact on how the Community Planning Partnership is managed. The CPP is currently reviewing its management arrangements as part of a constitution to clearly describe how the CPP works, who is involved in different groups and the expectations placed on those who are involved. The Management Committee meeting of 3 September discussed and amended the draft constitution, including agreeing stronger representation for the third sector. Original proposals for two representatives were increased to three:

• one for the volunteer centre and CVSs
• one for ABSEN, the Social Enterprise Network
• and one for the Association of Community Councils

This reflects the diversity of the third sector – from individuals volunteering to support their community through to social enterprises providing key services – and the importance the CPP places on this sector.

Your involvement in the CPP is assured – and with that comes a responsibility to ensure effective engagement and high quality contributions. You now have a responsibility to support the development and delivery of the Argyll and Bute Single Outcome Agreement.

The SOA focuses attention of the different partners on key issues facing Argyll and Bute. You need to focus on what you can contribute. Earlier this week Sally presented a paper to the Council that emphasised key points with respect to the SOA and corporate planning for the Council. I’ll highlight some of them that are relevant to you. We are moving to:

• a risk based approach to Corporate Planning
• outcome measures within Corporate and Service Plans.
• develop clear measurable actions for Corporate and Service Plans.
• work with partners to adopt the same approach for community planning and that future Single Outcome Agreements only contain actions from Community and Corporate Plans.

The key point I’d like to emphasise for you is – what are the key outcomes and actions to include in the SOA. We’ve already initiated contact on this with the Third Sector Steering Group. We are looking for a third sector contribution to the SOA. You are part of that process. Talk with your colleagues in other community councils, within the Steering Group and come forward with clear suggestions. We already know that some will be focused on the challenge laid down in May and the proposals that have flowed form that. The detail we’re not sure of yet because the dialogue is still ongoing.

You are an important partner in the process and we are looking for you to contribute to more effective partnership working and to the development of a Single Outcome Agreement that will help to realise the vision of Argyll and Bute as the Leading Rural Area.