Local Governance Review - democracy matters: easy read

About the Local Governance Review.

Governance is the way that rules and systems are organised and put into place. Usually this is done by people in power.

Democracy is where people have an equal say in making decisions. For example, voting to choose an MP, MSP or councillor.

A community is a group of people who live in the same local area.

A community of interest is a group of people who share similar experiences, like disabled people, or black and minority ethnic people.

The Scottish Government wants to make changes to the ways decisions are made in communities.

The Local Governance Review will look at how power, responsibility and resources are shared with government and with communities. The review is called Democracy Matters and will run for 6 months until November 2018.

The Scottish Government wants to hear what people think. This document gives you information about the review and the possible changes to the way important decisions are made. You can give your ideas for making it easier to get involved in making decisions in your community.

This document has 4 different parts.

1. Information about the review.
2. More information about getting involved.
3. How communities could be more in control.
4. What the Scottish Government needs to know.