MEMBERS of the Community Alliance have agreed a four-pronged action plan for the next financial year.

The organisation has also vowed to carry out a review of its membership, so that smaller community groups are not missing out on important assistance, or grant funding opportunities from them.

The Action Plan 2017/18 was agreed by members of the Community Alliance during their meeting at West Dunbartonshire Council headquarters in Garshake Road, last Wednesday.

Their strategic priority themes are community transport, volunteering, funding priorities and social action.

The report, which went before members, stated: "At recent meetings members of the alliance have expressed frustration in relation to the organisation of meetings and the ability of community residents to influence the agenda.

"At the November 2016 meeting time was taken to discuss two key areas of

development – the priorities for the alliance and ensuring its representativeness of the interest groups active in West Dunbartonshire."

A range of issues were discussed at the November development session of

the Community Alliance.

These centred on two broad headings – communication and influence.

The report goes on: "Following discussion on this it was agreed that a list of options would be prepared for discussion at the next meeting with a view to compiling key topic

areas where the community alliance could assume a 'champion' role.

"This reflects the desire for the Alliance to exert more influence."

A draft action plan was presented to members for discussion and included the proposed topic areas that community alliance would "champion."

In terms of community transport it was proposed that a community transport co-ordinator role be created, while a volunteering charter will be developed for community planning partners.

In terms of funding priorities, the alliance agreed on "key priority areas for funding applications" in West Dunbartonshire, while ensuring "awareness raising and cascade of information regarding access to funding."

Under their Social Action banner the alliance also agreed to develop training offers for "new community organisations" establish a "skills exchanges" framework for community organisations and "explore opportunities" for use of social media to raise the profile of existing community and voluntary opportunities in the area.

The organisation also hopes to improve the lines of communication with the people and groups they aim to support, as the report states: "In relation to communication there are a range of opportunities to improve various elements of our approach.

"This includes detailing the role of representatives who sit on the alliance in relation to cascading information within their networks and also reviewing membership of the alliance to ensure all relevant interest areas are represented.

"In addition to this there are opportunities for more larger scale community networking events on key issues affecting local communities or interest groups.

"The Alliance is also key to development and content in relation to the annual community conference.

"Further to these two areas of influence and communication there is a need to

refresh the membership and terms of reference for the community alliance to

ensure its representativeness and scope."

Community Alliance West Dunbartonshire was established to ensure communities

and local organisations within West Dunbartonshire were able to influence and

scrutinise the work of Community Planning West Dunbartonshire (CPWD).

The Alliance brings together representatives from a range of organisations at

neighbourhood, interest and user group level across West Dunbartonshire with the

intention of identifying issues of common concern and to ensure that CPWD are

delivering on those issues local residents are highlighting as local priorities.

The Community Alliance aims to strengthen and widen access and membership

across communities of interest as well as 'neighbourhoods.'