Open Government action plan 2021 to 2025: commitment 5 – participation milestone progress

Embedding Open Government principles in the Community Empowerment Act parliamentary review

Timescales

By 2023.

Milestone: review of Section 10 of the Community Empowerment Act

As part of the Scottish Government’s review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015, the Open Government values, principles and approaches will be applied throughout the process.

Where we started

By 2023, there is a requirement for the Community Empowerment Act to be reviewed. This will provide an opportunity for participation, and the application of Open Government principles of accountability and transparency.

What changed and why

This has remained a set of activities undertaken as planned.

The review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 was launched by Tom Arthur, Minister for Public Finance, Planning, and Community Wealth at the Loch Ness Community Hub on 21/07/2022.

Work to review the Act was agreed to be undertaken between 2022 and 2024.

Where we are now

Timescales to share these findings have been amended from summer 2024 to early 2025 to take into account further drafting requirements on this aspect of the review. Scottish Government’s Open Government team continue to feed into and support the Review of Section 10 of the Community Empowerment Act.

What activity this will involve

This milestone activity continues into 2025.

Work will involve publishing the findings from the Review of the Community Empowerment Act. Future focus on the Review of Section 10 will take account of the IPDD work and the Local Governance Review’s Democracy Matters approach to supporting greater community decision making and participation.

Milestone status

In progress, behind schedule.