A new project set up in West Lothian is looking to help grant the wishes of local community groups.
The Community Benefit Wishlist was launched last month on the council’s web pages and aims to put groups in touch with suppliers who can provide financial and practical help to strengthen and develop communities.
It works like a traditional community noticeboard, and more than a dozen local Third Sector groups have posted requests for help already.
At a time where public finances are under constant threat it’s seen as a practical way to help West Lothian;’s towns and villages help themselves.
The requests range from funding donations to buy laptops to building materials for a men’s shed to kick start some project work.
The launch of the Wishlist in February was announced at the latest round of local area committees.
Speaking at the Armadale and Blackridge local area committee on Tuesday Michelle Murray the Regeneration Officer for the area said: “In December the Council Executive approved changes to the process for securing Community Benefits from the goods and services purchased from the Council.
“The changes included the inclusion of a Community Benefits Wish List to enable local community organisations to benefit from the opportunities.
“From 1 February local suppliers can fulfil requests from local community groups that are placed on the Community Wish List as part of the delivery of community benefits aligned to the contract awarded.
“The Community Wealth Building Team have been actively engaging with local key community organisations in the Ward to encourage and support them to develop items for the Community Benefit Wishlist.
“Requests can be for a broad range of things, including direct funding, professional support, donations of material, volunteer time and donation of goods and services. All requests are being reviewed by the Community Wealth Building Team to ensure they are suitable and are then being placed on the live list. Once a wish has been fulfilled it will be removed from the list.”
Among those already on the list are Polbeth Hub. It is looking for donations for laptops and volunteers to help in the community garden.
Livingston Community Shed is looking for donations of building materials including plasterboard and timber, cement and topsoil as well as volunteers to help with projects.
Boghall Drop-In Centre in Bathgate is looking for volunteer help to remove an old storage shed and for donations to build new storage.
Almost 20 Third Sector groups have already signed up to the Wishlist.
Stuart Barrie, the Operations Manager at West Lothian’s Voluntary Sector Gateway, which speaks for the Third Sector, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s fantastic to see the Community Benefit Wishlist at West Lothian Council. It’s a great platform for Third Sector and community organisations to get a helping hand from businesses as part of the procurement process.
“It’s a great example of community wealth building within West Lothian supporting local people and projects.”
Julie Henderson from the Vennie in Knightsridge, which has added to the Wishlist , told the LDRS:
“I hope the wishlist is helpful. It was difficult to know what to put on it. I kept it quite general. Not heard anything from it so far.
“It is just a thought. If the companies had something to offer it might be easier to have a list where we can pick from?
“It could work well if it is managed properly.”
By Stuart Sommerville, Local Democracy Reporter
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) is a public service news agency. It is funded by the BBC, provided by the local news sector (in Edinburgh that is Reach plc (the publisher behind Edinburgh Live and The Daily Record) and used by many qualifying partners. Local Democracy Reporters cover news about top-tier local authorities and other public service organisations.
