COMMUNITY council elections take place in Argyll and Bute this spring – but this year the election process is different.

Argyll and Bute Council has introduced an updated scheme for the establishment of community councils. This means that all community councillors currently in post must demit office and seek re-election.

In the case of Helensburgh, there are 20 vacancies to be filled in the election process. And Furthermore, the age individuals to stand for election has been reduced to 16 years.

Local government is a mystery to the majority of the population who remain blissfully ignorant of the system so long as the roads are maintained and infrastructure services such as garbage collection work like clockwork.

Nevertheless, it is an important function of the society we live in and the various strands of local government have to work together in an integrated and mutually supportive system.

Within this context, community councils are set up as statutory community representative groups by the Government to act as a voice for their local area.

They are strictly non-political and are seen by the Government as a vital and unique asset in a range of local authority processes.

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 states: “The general purpose of a community council shall be to ascertain, co-ordinate and express...the views of the community...and to take such action in the interests of that community as appears to it to be expedient and practicable.”

Helensburgh has the largest population in Argyll and Bute which manifests itself in the number of community councillors. The 20 community councillors are all volunteers and spread throughout the town.

No part of the town is unrepresented. We are governed by strict rules of procedure and a constitution and standing orders.

There is a misconception that a community council is only a ‘talking shop’ or a ‘bunch of well-intentioned amateurs’. Nothing could be further from the truth as far as Helensburgh is concerned.

We are statutory consultees on all planning matters and licensing applications. Our initiatives for the town include a Vision for Helensburgh study looking to the future of the town, the establishment of an innovation centre for entrepreneurs, a women in business study, economic initiatives with Argyll and Bute.

We have organized retail conferences, a town food festival, an exhibition of work fine art from the prestigious Glasgow School of Art, and we have more in the pipeline for the future.

We organise beach cleans and have the stewardship of the shrub beds in the town central square.

We have also exercised our right under the Community Empowerment Act 2015 to co-ordinate and improve the roads infrastructure in the town. And we have applied the Act to our participation in the major £-multi-million development of the new leisure centre on the pierhead.

Each of us in the community council is involved in one way or another in all these actions to improve the town.

If you feel you have something to offer or are interested in developing any of our list of activities then put yourself up for election.

It is very simple to apply; the nomination forms are available now at the Civic Centre or contact any one of the current community council for assistance.

To stand you must be a registered voter in Helensburgh (your electoral number can be obtained from the library). The closing date for nominations is 4pm on Thursday, March 22. The month of April is given over to the vote.