What Is a Community Council?
Community councils are the most local tier of democracy in Scotland. They are voluntary, non-party-political bodies set up under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to represent the views and interests of the people living in a particular area.
Unlike Glasgow City Council — which governs the whole city — a community council exists purely for your neighbourhood. It has no budget and no legal powers of its own, but it has something equally important: a statutory right to be heard by public bodies, including Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland, and health boards.
In plain language: A community council is a group of local volunteers who meet regularly, raise the concerns of their neighbourhood, respond to planning applications, and make sure that the institutions which govern the area are always hearing from the people who actually live there.
What Do Community Councils Do?
How Do I Get Involved?
Attend a Meeting
All community council meetings are open to the public. You don’t need an invitation or registration — just find your council in the directory, check the meeting details, and turn up. You can raise issues, ask questions, and make your voice heard.
Become a Member
Community councils are elected by residents in their area, usually every four years, but co-opted members can often join between elections. If you want to be more involved, speak to your current community council chair about volunteering as a co-opted member.
Stand for Election
Any resident aged 16 or over who lives in the community council’s area can stand for election. Elections are run by Glasgow City Council. This is one of the most direct ways to give back to where you live.
17 of Glasgow’s community councils are currently inactive. If your area doesn’t have an active community council, you have the right to help form one. Contact Glasgow City Council’s Community Empowerment team for guidance on how to get started.
The Legal Basis
Community councils in Scotland are established under Part IV of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which requires every local authority to establish a scheme for the creation of community councils. Glasgow City Council administers the scheme covering the 92 community councils listed in this directory.
Glasgow City Council’s Community Council Scheme sets out the rules governing the election, membership, operation, and dissolution of community councils. The scheme is reviewed periodically.
- Community councils have a right to be consulted on planning applications in their area
- They are entitled to receive relevant information from Glasgow City Council
- They can make representations to any public body on behalf of residents
- Membership is open to residents aged 16+ who live in the area
Donated by DeCollaborators CIC
This website was built and donated by DeCollaborators CIC — a community interest company based in Glasgow, committed to connecting, amplifying, and empowering grassroots organisations across the city. The domain registration and first year of hosting are covered by DeCollaborators CIC. As the Glasgow City Community Councils grow and develop their own web presence, this platform will be handed over fully to their administration.
As part of the donation, DeCollaborators CIC is offering every active community council a suite of free digital support: