Seòmar agus comataidhean

Can you say a bit about how the past two years have impacted on local government finances, particularly in relation to planned savings and budget gaps? For example, how have the new ways of delivering services that have been prompted by Covid led to savings for councils? Perhaps Bill Moyes can direct those questions to someone.

I will pop that question out to the rest of the panel. Would Karen Birch and Maria de la Torre like to add anything further?

You have certainly prepared for my second question. I will put a fuller question to you. Should community gardens have the same legislation as allotments currently do?

I asked whether community gardens should have the same legislative protection as allotments.

Good morning convener and panel. It is great to see all the witnesses at the meeting this morning.

I will explore the topic of community organisations and volunteering. Over the past few weeks, the committee has heard about the importance of volunteering in successful community growing. How can local authorities help community growing and allotments to thrive in areas with lower levels of volunteering? I direct the question to Ian Welsh, who has touched on that point earlier but might like to add a bit more to it. I do not know whether his sound is back on.

Yes, I picked that up.

Could East Lothian Council do anything more, or be better at anything that would assist your group?

Karen Birch, what is your view on my question about community gardens? Should they have the same protection in legislation as allotments?

Good morning, panel. It is great to see you.

My first question, which was about a more joined-up approach to the provision of growing spaces, has already been covered, so I will go back to Ian Woolard’s point. How often do you review your waiting list in Edinburgh?

Are you aware of other parts of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 being used to enable community growing for allotment purposes? What about asset transfers and participation requests, for example? Can you give any examples of those from your authorities?

I will go back to Peter Duncan and Ian Woolard to answer that, if that is okay.

This has been touched on by others, but I wonder whether Sandy Paterson can say a little bit about how local authorities can help allotments to thrive in communities where there are low levels of volunteering.