Health, social care, education and communities

Allotments and the Community Empowerment Act

Scottish Parliament inquiry | Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee wants your views on the provision of allotments in Scotland. Part 9 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 (“the Act”) aimed to improve the availability of allotments in Scotland and to reduce waiting times for allotments. It also required every local authority to prepare a food-growing strategy. This short inquiry will look at whether the Act has improved the availability of allotments and whether it has reduced the barriers to accessing allotments. It will also look at how communities are establishing allotments themselves and the community, health, educational and environmental benefits of allotments and community gardens.

Deadline: 24 May 2022

The Welsh Government's plan for transforming and modernising planned care and reducing waiting lists

Welsh Government consultation | Health and Social Care Committee

As part of its inquiry into the impact of the waiting times backlog on people in Wales who are waiting for diagnosis or treatment, the Health and Social Care Committee is seeking written evidence from health and social care stakeholders on the plan for transforming and modernising planned care and reducing waiting lists published by the Welsh Government on 26 April 2022. The Committee is seeking views on a number of matters, including: whether the plan will be sufficient to address the backlogs in routine care that have built up during the pandemic, and reduce long waits; whether the plan adequately addresses health and social care workforce pressures, including retention, recruitment, and supporting staff to work flexibly, develop their skills and recover from the trauma of the pandemic; and whether there is sufficient clarity about how digital tools and data will be developed and used to drive service delivery and more efficient management of waiting times?

Deadline: 10 June 2022

Inquiry into community assets

Welsh Government consultation | Local Government and Housing Committee

The Local Government and Housing Committee is undertaking an inquiry into community assets, with specific focus on barriers and opportunities for communities to acquire built assets for community use. The Committee will explore how the statutory and policy framework encourages and supports the development of community assets for the benefit of communities. Issues to be considered include the following: whether the current statutory and policy framework empowers communities in Wales to develop community assets; the extent the Community Asset Transfer scheme promotes and supports effective development of community assets; to explore barriers and challenges faced by communities in taking ownership of public or privately owned assets, including finance and support services; and to discover what lessons can be learnt from beyond the Welsh border.

Deadline: 24 June 2022