Politics and politicians - community councils and assemblies

The council is required by law to have a Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in its area but community councils are not part of the council's structure - they are independent bodies which run their own affairs and elect their own members.

The council helps to set community councils up when asked to do, where there is sufficient local interest, it runs elections to them, and provides funding and advice, but what each community council does is then a matter for each community council to determine.

The purposes of community councils are to ascertain and express the views of the community to local authorities and other public bodies, and to take action which appears to the community council to be in the interests of its community.

The council has appointed a Community Councils Liaison Officer who is able to provide advice and assistance. The council's Liaison Officer is Lorraine McGrorty who is based at West Lothian House in Livingston.