About

What are Community Councils?
Community Councils are groups of local people, working together for the area in which they live. They are the most local tier of statutory representation in Scotland, bridging the gap between local authorities and communities, and helping to make public bodies aware of the opinions and needs of the communities they represent. Community Councils were created in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and there are currently around 1200 in Scotland.

What does a Community Council do?

The official role of a community council is to represent the views of local residents to Midlothian Councillors and officials, Police Scotland, NHS Lothian and other public bodies. This includes being consulted on local planning applications and making representations on licensing and council policy.
In order to do this, they are required to consult with the wider community, and seek engagement with as broad a range of residents as possible. Community Councils are strictly not party-political and are non-sectarian. The requirements of a Community Council are currently undergoing some changes, and we are working with the local authority to ensure a smooth a transition as possible.
Other activities include campaigning on local issues and initiating projects for the community, with extent and nature of these varying between areas.

Is this my Community Council?
The area covered by Dalkeith and District Community Council includes central Dalkeith, Woodburn, and surrounding areas, as shown on the map below.

We are linked to nearby Community Councils through the Midlothian Federation of Community Councils, and work jointly on some projects with our immediate neighbour, Eskbank and Newbattle Community Council. If this is your area, we look forward to meeting you. If not, we should be able to point you in the right direction.