Community Planning after the Community Empowerment Act: The Second Survey of Community Planning Officials in Scotland

This report offers an overview of key dynamics, challenges and accomplishments from the perspective of community planning officials (CPOs) across the country through the comparative findings of the first two surveys of CPOs in Scotland, conducted in 2016 and 2018. The timing of these two surveys is significant because it covers the first two years of implementation of the Community Empowerment Act, and the 2018 survey is one of the first pieces of research to capture some of the early impacts of this legislation on community planning practice. The report summarises some of the key findings related to the CEA, community engagement, partnership work and evidence mobilisation, with particular attention to how the two surveys together create a fuller picture of CPOs as frontline policy workers. The report has sections on: CPOs in the context of the Community Empowerment Act Methodology and the 2018 participants Understanding the CPOs workforce Understanding the work of CPOs Using evidence Understanding how CPPs work Community engagement in community planning Frameworks, policies and reforms affecting community planning Conclusions: Community Planning after the Community Empowerment Act Based on the findings, the authors provide recommendations for government, community planning partnerships (CPPs), and support and evaluation agencies