Meeting of the Parliament 17 June 2015
I have not emptied a room this quickly since I got up to do karaoke at the party conference.
I thank the members of all parties who have contributed today and who are still here. I also thank the huge number of people who, throughout the past three years, have contributed to making the bill what it is today. It has been a collective effort between Government, Parliament and the grass roots, as befits a bill that is all about community empowerment. The bill is all the better for their participation and the challenge and input that they provided.
On behalf of my colleagues, I thank Rob Gibson and the members of the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee for their incredibly detailed scrutiny of the community right to buy. I also thank Kevin Stewart and the members of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee for their thorough scrutiny of the bill during stages 1 and 2, including some interesting meetings that I was present at, enjoying the hospitality and debate. Both committees must be applauded for taking evidence from such a wide range of organisations and individuals. That really careful, balanced consideration of the proposals led to an improved bill that will make a significant difference to communities throughout Scotland for years to come.
At stage 2, I accepted amendments from all sides, which shows that, when good ideas are proposed to the Government, it will listen to them wherever they come from. That has continued today in discussions that have often been more about detail than fundamental disagreements on principle.
From the national outcomes to participation requests, from football to allotments, I am pleased that we have that shared vision and desire for more empowerment of and participation from communities of all types across Scotland. The focus has been on ensuring that we have legislation that will lift up and free the voices of people across Scotland who want to take part. We want to let them set local agendas in line with their wishes and concerns.
If I were to sum up the headings of the bill, there would be a series of them. The first would be participation. In the bill, participation requests provide a mechanism for communities to gain a proactive role in how local services are planned and delivered, so that they can take part. Community bodies will be able to use the bill to discuss with service providers how they could better meet their users’ needs, and they will be able to offer volunteers to support a service or even propose to take over the delivery of the service. Participation requests will be a powerful tool that will enable communities to take action on their terms. I want that to spread and take root, so that there is a go-to point for those communities that wish to realise their ambitions. People will be able to highlight where improvements can be made and suggest solutions as to how things can be taken forward and be delivered together.