The council
About the Council
Dalton and Carrutherstown Community Council is a group of local volunteers, elected by the community, whose job is to represent the views and best interests of local people to make sure their voice is heard at a Local Authority level and nationally amongst larger organisations who are operating in our area.
What a community council is
Community councils are the most local tier of statutory representation in Scotland, created under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. They are not part of the council and they are not a charity. They are groups of residents, unpaid, whose statutory purpose is to represent the views of their community to Dumfries and Galloway Council and to other public bodies.
In practice that means we are the group that raises the state of the road with the council, comments on planning applications, decides how the local windfarm grant money is shared out, and tries to make sure that the two villages are not overlooked simply because they are small.
What we do
- represent local views to the council and other public bodies
- comment on planning and licensing applications
- run the local grants scheme funded by the windfarms
- press for repairs and improvements to roads, paths and public spaces
- share information during emergencies and severe weather
- publish a quarterly newsletter and keep the village noticeboards current
What we cannot do
- we do not own or manage local buildings or land, including the village halls
- we cannot decide planning applications, only comment on them
- we are not a repairs service and hold no budget for council services
- we cannot act in an emergency, please call 999, 105 or 101 as appropriate
- we cannot take sides in disputes between neighbours
Our promise
We will openly and transparently represent your best interests in local issues that affect you and the places we call home.
Our aim is to support, connect and strengthen our local community, ensuring we are safe, inclusive, resilient and that together we shape and protect our environment for future generations.
How we try to work
These four values are set out in our own adopted policy, and they are the standard we would like to be held to.
Integrity
High moral and ethical standards across all Community Council business.
Transparency
Promoting trust by making our actions and decisions visible to the public.
Fairness and respect
Being open, available and approachable to everyone in the two villages.
Collaborative working
Positively engaging, consulting and communicating within our community.
What we are working on
Four priorities, set out in our Community Promise, that shape what the Community Council spends its time on.
Better connected
Engage, communicate and understand community needs.
Healthy community
Make best use of outdoor spaces to promote wellbeing.
Safe community
Help our community feel safe, secure and empowered.
Sound governance
Make best use of resources and strive for continuous improvement.
The rules we work to
Community councils across Dumfries and Galloway all work to the same set of rules. The Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils, published by Dumfries and Galloway Council, sets out how a community council is formed, how it must reach decisions, and what each of the roles on it involves. It opens on the council’s own website.
Our own Community Promise sets out on a single page what we have undertaken to do and how we mean to behave while doing it. It is displayed in both village noticeboards, and you can also find it on our Policies and Guidance page.
Could you join the Community Council?
The Community Council is a small team carrying a fair amount between them, and new members are always welcome. You do not need any particular experience or qualification. You need to live within the Community Council’s area and be on the electoral register, and you need to be willing to give up an evening every couple of months.
If you have ever read the minutes and thought that something could be done better, that is precisely the reason to join. Come to a meeting first and see what it is like, there is no obligation.
Where we are
The Community Council covers the villages of Dalton and Carrutherstown and the countryside around them, in the Annandale South ward of Dumfries and Galloway. Between them the two villages are home to around 330 people. You can read about the area and its history on our Our Local Area page.