Monday October 3rd 2022
This View has been written by Mali Purkayastha of Moorfoot Community Council.
A community council which managed to regenerate itself with new members when just emerging from lockdown has found itself in the same position two years later.
Rather than dissolve altogether, the likely outcome of reduced membership for Moorfoot Community Council is to merge with Gorebridge Community Council. Following a recent AGM and the loss of a number of CC members, it has become increasingly difficult to see how the Community Council can continue without its full complement of office-bearers that includes a Chair, Secretary, Minutes Secretary and Treasurer.
The Community Council is appealing to residents in the Moorfoot area, which covers the villages of North Middleton, Carrington, Temple and Borthwick as well as outlying areas, to consider whether they can get involved to support the work of the Community Council. If merged with another Council that is both different in its communities and its setting, it is unlikely that the rural issues that impact so strongly on residents in the Moorfoot area will be represented successfully and articulated clearly to planning authorities.
There are currently 15 Community Councils in Midlothian which in turn are also represented by the Midlothian Federation of Community Councils. All of these organisations are supported by the work of volunteers, who offer a platform to represent the voices and views of their local area. Without a functional community council, it is unlikely that an effective formal consultation and dialogue will take place when it comes to development and planning decisions that affect the Moorfoot area.
If you feel passionately about improving life in your area, promoting well-being and speaking about issues that concern you, then your community council needs you! The time commitment is 2 hours on the first Wednesday of each month apart from January and July. Also in attendance at Community Council meetings are community police officers as well as elected Midlothian councillors, so it is usually possible to raise issues and connect these with the correct person to address them.
If you would like to find out more about joining Moorfoot Community Council you can email for more information. Contact details for all Midlothian’s community councils are available on Midlothian View at www.midlothianview.com/community-council.
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