Help shape what happens next in Edinburgh

Ever spotted something in Edinburgh and thought: surely we could do this better?

Perhaps it’s how we look after green spaces, make room for wildlife, move about the city or support communities taking climate action? Often, those closest to an issue have some of the clearest ideas about what needs to change. Getting those ideas into the conversations where decisions happen is the difficult part.

That’s why we’re setting up an ECCAN Policy Circle, and we’d like you to help shape it.

The idea is straightforward: bring together a small, committed group who want to help community knowledge and priorities influence local climate and environmental policy, with a particular focus on the City of Edinburgh Council. We want to create a space where members can explore issues together, identify where they could make a useful difference and work towards change.

Recently, our Political Roundtable with Hope for the Future brought community members and political representatives together for just such a conversation. Getting everyone around the same table is a useful starting point. The Policy Circle offers a way to build on those connections and bring community ideas into ongoing discussions about Edinburgh’s future.

Learning from our neighbours

We’ve been learning from ELCAN, East Lothian’s Climate Action Network and a close ally in our work, which has already established its own Policy Circle.

Their advice was refreshingly direct: start small, choose achievable priorities and build relationships with those who can help make change happen.

ELCAN’s policy work has included campaigning to reduce glyphosate use in parks, advocating for swift boxes and working to bring Hedgehog Highways into planning guidance. These are practical examples of how community-led policy work can help shape local environments and influence decisions that affect neighbourhoods.

At ECCAN, we can help connect the Circle with the Council, drawing on our existing relationships to bring community knowledge into conversations with decision-makers.

Help shape the Policy Circle

We’re at the beginning of developing ECCAN’s Policy Circle, so there’s plenty of space to help shape its priorities and approach.

Our initial thinking is that the group could choose a small number of issues to focus on together, guided by community concerns and a realistic sense of where our collective time and energy could have the most impact. But these are early ideas, and we’d love to hear yours.

We’d welcome those with experience of policy or local government, alongside those whose knowledge comes from working in their communities. Perhaps you’re good at asking questions, bringing others together, researching an issue or putting an idea clearly into words? Or perhaps there’s a local concern you’ve wanted to do something about, but haven’t known where to start?

All are good reasons to get involved.

We’re particularly keen to hear from voices often missing from conversations about local policy. Edinburgh has a wealth of experience, energy and imagination to draw on, and the Circle will be stronger for reflecting different perspectives on what matters locally.

Interested in getting involved?

If this sounds like something you’d like to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.

We’re currently gathering expressions of interest, so getting in touch doesn’t commit you to joining. It’s simply an opportunity to find out more and help shape what the Circle could become.

Bring your questions, your ideas and a willingness to work alongside others. Together, we can give Edinburgh’s community knowledge a stronger voice in the decisions shaping our city’s future.