Annexes

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Terms of Reference for Sub-Group on Community Engagement

Background and Context

The Bus Taskforce (‘the Taskforce’) was established by the Minister for Transport, Jenny Gilruth MSP, in October 2022 to bring together national and local government with operators, regulators and stakeholders to address the immediate challenges facing bus networks. It was agreed that three sub-groups would be formed to address the three major issues of patronage growth; workforce retention and recruitment; and community engagement.

According to the Scottish Community Development Centre, community engagement is ‘a way to build and sustain relationships between public services and community groups – helping them both to understand and take action on the needs or issues that communities experience’. Engaging and empowering local people and communities on the design and delivery of local transport solutions will be vital to increasing patronage, improving connectivity and achieving net zero. It improves outcomes for operators, local authorities and bus users.

Significant changes to bus services and networks are anticipated in the months and years ahead across Scotland. It is essential that there is open, inclusive and transparent communication between operators, local authorities, bus users and communities about these changes and accessible, meaningful and timely engagement with bus users and communities to address, mitigate or prevent the challenges which may result. Community engagement is also an essential and helpful tool in shaping conversations and decision-making in more positive circumstances, such as long-term transport planning and network or service expansion.

There is evidently a need to improve the consistent and fair implementation of these processes of community engagement and empowerment across Scotland. All operators and local authorities have duties and responsibilities in line with statutory notice periods, the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and the National Standards for Community Engagement (2016). Alternative or superior solutions can be found through collaboration and partnership, for example, support for new Community Bus Services to bridge the gaps left by services which have been declared commercially unviable.

Purpose and Objectives

The Bus Taskforce’s Sub-Group on Community Engagement (‘the Sub-Group) has been established as a short-life working group during the lifetime of the Taskforce to:

  • Identify the challenges and opportunities in improving community engagement on networks and changes
  • Discuss, review and coordinate activity to improve community engagement
  • Co-design best practice guidance for community engagement which are aligned with the seven principles of the National Standards for Community Engagement, applied in a transport context and supported by case studies
  • Promote communication and collaboration between stakeholders
  • Recognise and represent the voices and interests of bus users and communities in the work of the Taskforce

Outputs

The primary output of the Sub-Group will be a published document of best practice guidance for community engagement on networks and changes. It will contain specific guidance for bus operators, local authorities and communities and case studies of best practice. It will be aligned with the National Standards for Community Engagement.

Membership

The Sub-Group’s participants are members of the Taskforce or their colleagues, as well as other relevant invited attendees with a specific expertise and interest in community engagement:

  • David Kelly - Community Transport Association (Chair)
  • Sara Collier - Confederation of Passenger Transport
  • Craig Dennett - First Bus
  • Daniel Laird - Stagecoach
  • Greig MacKay - Bus Users Scotland
  • Robert Samson - Transport Focus
  • Nicola Gill - ATCO (West Lothian Council)
  • Margaret Roy - ATCO (Perth and Kinross Council)
  • Catherine Damen - CoSLA
  • Gordon Dickson - SPT
  • Ranald Robertson - HITRANS
  • Kelvin Cochrane - Handicabs Lothian Limited
  • Gary Toner - Handicabs Lothian Limited
  • Margaret Douglas - Public Health Scotland
  • Roisin Curran - Transport Scotland
  • Freya Gillon - Transport Scotland
  • Carole Stewart - Transport Scotland

Meeting Cycle and Format

The Taskforce will convene for a total of three meetings over the course of six months, after which progress will be reviewed. The Sub-Group will aim to meet every four weeks to hear updates from members and discuss a topic, theme or section of the best practice guidance under development.

Reporting

The Sub-Group will work on actions between meetings of the full Taskforce. The Chair and members will report back on its conclusions, discussions and progress at meetings of the Taskforce.