Two community councils who joined forced just over a year ago could now be set to go their separate ways after concerns the match was not working out.
Carmondean and Deans community council was created to help both better represent their local areas. But a reinvigorated community in Deans has left Carmondean feeling left out, and looking to re-establish its own distinct identity.
West Lothian Council’s Executive has agreed to start a public consultation on the re-establishment of two councils for the eastern and western housing areas of northern Livingston after a petition was drawn up in Carmondean and submitted to the council in the summer.
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Jill Parton chair of the former Carmondean Community Council said: “It is felt that, as Carmondean has its own distinct heritage, community and needs that it should be represented by people from within its community.
“The previous Carmondean Community Council brought a successful art project to the local community, supported local business with car parking issues, assisted in ensuring that Livingston North retained a library service, ensured that lighting was installed in the underpasses in the Carmondean area and ensured that the views of the local Carmondean Community were listened to.
“In Spring we set about speaking to neighbours and others in Carmondean, produced a petition of those who wished Carmondean Community Council to return in its own right and then presented it to WLC. “
She added: “We are delighted that a public consultation will now be taken forward.
In a report to the Executive, Lorraine McGrorty, Committee Officer said: “The reasons stated on the petition include that the combined community council has led to Carmondean having no representation and that Carmondean has its own distinct heritage, community and needs, and that it should be represented by people from within its community.”
Local councillors have been consulted and Conservative Alison Adamson gave public support to the split.
She said: “I have enormous sympathy for the Carmondean area community members who wish to revert back to a community council in their own right.
“The reason for amalgamation of Deans and Carmondean was down to Deans having no community council for many years. Carmondean was established first and was successfully following local projects and concerns which are different from some of the projects and concerns in the Deans area.
"This became apparent when funding opportunities were being considered in each of the areas. Since Deans now finally has an active community council and is also the larger of the two areas represented by a community council, the reason for merging is no longer valid.”
She concluded: “A petition from Carmondean makes me believe the time has come to let Carmondean revert back to being an individual community council area.”
A new scheme for establishment of Community Councils was adopted at a special meeting of West Lothian Council in August last year following extensive public consultation that began in February 2020.
During that consultation, working with the Joint Forum of Community Councils, it was proposed that all community councils not in operation should be amalgamated with neighbouring areas to ensure every community was represented by a community council.
Deans very briefly had a community council operating for around six months in over 20 years. The proposal to merge Deans with Carmondean was supported by Carmondean Community Council and consequently, a new combined boundary for Carmondean & Deans Community Council was adopted.
The new Carmondean and Deans Community Council was established in October 2021 following the 4-yearly community council elections. Nine members were elected to it.
The Executive agreed to a new consultation process starting this month and running until December. The split could take place as early as January.
Adverts will appear in the West Lothian Courier each month between now and late December .
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