COMMUNITY council elections in the Wee County could take place next year with ballots originally scheduled for this month unable to proceed.

Clackmannanshire Council will tomorrow hear how officers have been unable to support community council elections, which were to take place this month, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Elected members will be asked to agree an interim way forward for community councils that may be at risk of dissolution due to minimum member requirements.

Documents to be tabled at Kilncraigs will ask councillors to agree that “as a consequence of the inability to deliver elections, the council will not pursue suspension of any of the community councils”.

Councillors at Kilncraigs will also be asked to agree on a focussed consultation process on the future of the scheme.

The aim is to put in place arrangements for community councils in circumstances such as pandemics and other unexpected events in a bid to future-proof the document.

Papers to be put forward on Thursday, September 10, added: “Community councils play a very important role for their communities.

“They have certain statutory responsibilities but they also undertake a much wider community role than set out in the statute and are often at the heart of community initiatives.

“The council recognises the important role that they play and has agreed that community empowerment is one of the main drivers of transformation in the Be the Future agenda.

“In addition, community councils continue to play a critical role supporting their local areas during the Covid-19 pandemic and some have been involved in essential service delivery initiatives, including food delivery and supporting shielding people.”