With a remit to help ‘bridge the gap’ between communities and the council, there are already countless groups and organisations benefiting from its support.

At the moment the team is working with groups of stakeholders in Cambuslang East and Burnhill as well as Westwood, East Kilbride, helping them to create a neighbourhood plan  showcasing the collective priorities of those who live there.

To this end, they have also helped to set up informal door to door consultations, focus groups and pop ups to gather the opinions and aspirations of local people in as varied a way as possible ensuring that the plan echoes a range of voices.

The aim is that, with the support of the South Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership, this focus on engagement and listening will kick start a process of inspiring change, shaping services and building a foundation to attract funds for local projects; creating a 'can do community'.

The final piece of the puzzle is an invitation to residents in the three area to complete an online survey.

If you’re not sure what a neighbourhood plan can look like, and what aims and hopes it can reflect, why not have a look at similar work on the community planning partnership website.

Explained Jacqueline Queen, one of the officers who has been working with the groups (pictured above with colleagues Sian and Heather): “Our team is supporting local groups and organisations to have the widest possible access to services and tools which can help them to promote the group. Importantly we help them to find out, from those who live there, just what their priorities are for the future.

“With this in mind we are also working alongside local groups to create opportunities for more face-to-face engagement, as well as supporting them to widen their networks, and map assets in the community. We would urge as many local people as possible, who have not yet made their voices heard, to do so now, through this survey. We genuinely believe this process will lead to change, greater community involvement and local pride in our neighbourhoods.”

Why not get in touch to find out more about the work of the Community Engagement Team and what they could help your area to do.