There are at present ten community councillors in Balloch & Haldane Community Council (B&HCC). All but one was elected on 11th October 2006 in a similar way as your Local Ward councillor and serve for 3 years. Most of us have already served a term in office. B&HCC are allowed 12 community councillors for the area, therefore as only 11 applied for the office in 2006 they were elected unopposed and no ballot was required. A 12th C/councillor was co-opted under the rules in March 2008 but the number now stands at 10 due to resignations and other commitments. The difference between Ward Councillors and community councillors is that Ward councillors are paid and may follow a political party. We are 'community activists' or as we prefer to be called 'active in the community'. We receive no financial reward and are a-political.  A-political is the term for non party political which allows us to keep an open mind on all issues without party political influence.  We strive to represent our community as best we can by keeping them informed of important local issues they might otherwise never hear about until too late to do anything.   We challenge or support, whichever the case may be, decisions at government level, planning level and local government level, as well as other bodies such as The National Park Authority, Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire, etc.

We meet monthly, during the months of Feb, Mar, Apr, May June, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, in The National Park HQ Builiding, Carrochan Road, Balloch at 10am on the first Wednesday of the Month.  Check CHANGE OF DATE on main menu to be sure.  Other meetings are advertised in the press or by posters in Balloch.  This page gives you a short insight to what we are about. If you would like to meet us pop into one of our monthly meetings and perhaps become involved. Only qualification required is an interest in local affairs.  We produced a Newsletter called Balloch FUTURES at the end of 2004 which gives you a flavour of our involvement in the local community. Our latest Action Plan for Balloch and Haldane was produced in 2008 and delivered to all residents in our CC area.  The Action Plan highlighted is a 2009 review report of actions the CC hope to achieve from items in the original Plan.

We are constituted by an Act of Parliament and it is sometimes stated that we are a third tier of government.  We are not—but being a statutory body are consulted on various local issues, e.g. planning, licensing, and wider issues.

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 states:

    ''In addition to any other purpose which a community council may pursue, the general purpose of a community council shall be to ascertain, co-ordinate and express to the local authorities for its area and to public authorities, the views of the community which it represents, in relation to matters for which those authorities are responsible, and to take such action in the interests of that community as appears to it to be expedient and practicable.'' 

Being a body formed by statute (law) we are informed of all planning applications in our B&HCC area both West Dunbartonshire Council and the National Park planning departments. We are consulted on a wide range of matters and hold public meetings on these matters when either asked to by the public or our own initiative to bring issues to the local communities attention.  We abide by local authority rules for the running of the community council and receive an annual grant from WDC for administration purposes.

The site content is administered by B&HCC secretary.