Creating Economic Benefits For Local Communities - Still Time To Have Your Say

29th July 2024

The Highland Council is reminding individuals and community groups that there is still time to take part in the consultation seeking views on the Draft Community Wealth Building Strategy.

This new strategy aims to ensure every area and community across the Highlands can participate in, and benefit from economic activity. Its vision is to retain greater wealth and maximise spending within and for the communities of the Highlands.

Chair of The Highland Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans, is encouraging everyone not to miss this opportunity to take part and provide their feedback. He said: "Community Wealth Building provides an alternative approach to economic development and a practical response that aims to keep wealth within a local area. It is often described as a people centred approach which is why we are keen that as many people as possible provide us with their comments on the draft strategy."

"The Council administration's ‘Our Future Highland’ programme places people at its very heart, and through community wealth building we can bring people together to promote wellbeing, reduce inequalities, and deliver improved outcomes for people in Highland."

The draft strategy the council is consulting on sets out a 3-year vision for taking forward and embedding Community Wealth Building into work plans.

The survey asks people for comments on five key objectives that align with the five pillars of community wealth building.

These are:

Spending - using public spend to deliver community benefit, fair work and build local supply chains.

Fair Employment - ensuring the workforce are in well paid jobs that benefit from an effective voice, security, and flexibility.

Land and Property – ensuring that communities maximise benefit and generate wealth from local land and property.

Financial Power – ensuring that the flows of wealth generated within the local economy works for the wellbeing of communities and businesses.

Inclusive Ownership – stimulating the development and growth of locally owned enterprises that generate community wealth.
Under each objective, the draft strategy outlines areas of work that already support Community Wealth Building across Highland and proposed areas for development.

Councillor Gowans added: “Feedback received from the consultation will capture important information that will allow us to be ambitious in establishing the foundations of a brighter and more sustainable future for our communities, particularly our younger generation.”

The survey will run until Friday 23 August 2024.

Take part here - https://forms.office.com/e/ztaBjTwrPT