The Civic Forum draws together representatives from every Community Council and neighbourhood in the City and from Communities of Interest Forums which include:
The Joint Chairs of the Civic Forum have a place on Community Planning Aberdeen and its Board, formerly The Aberdeen City Alliance and a minimum of two representatives on each of the Thematic Groups, formerly Challenge Forums. Civic Forum members representing the Forum on other bodies are asked to provide feedback on the meetings they attend, and a form is provided for the purpose.
Feedback Form for Civic Forum Reps
The Lead Group (the Executive Committee of the Civic Forum) meets on a monthly basis to plan full Forum meetings and to deal with routine business. Click here to view the Civic Forum Lead Group Membership (2011-2014).
An Information Pack on the Civic Forum has been created to provide an understanding of the organisation and how it works. It provides an overview, as well as more detailed information in a series of Appendices.
Information Pack - Summary
Appendix 1 - Standards For Community Engagement
Appendix 2 - Challenge Forums
Appendix 3 - Constitution and Action Plan Protocol
Appendix 4 - Issues considered
Appendix 5 - Progress Report
Appendix 6 - The Civic Forum Said It
Appendix 7 - Decision Making in the Community Planning Partnership
Appendix 8 - Code of Conduct
A jargon-busting glossary of Terms is provided to help those unfamiliar with the structures and language used in community planning.
The guest speaker will be Professor Paul Spicker, Centre for Public Policy and Management, Aberdeen Business School who will speak about the impact of the Welfare Reform Act 2012.
The Act legislates for the biggest change to the Welfare System for over 60 years. It introduces a wide range of reforms to make the benefits and tax credits systems fairer and simpler.
Professor Spicker has written widely in the field of social policy, having published ten books, several shorter works and over 50 academic papers. His research has included studies related to benefit delivery systems, the care of old people, psychiatric patients, housing management and local anti-poverty strategy.
He has experience of housing and welfare rights work and has also been a consultant on social welfare in practice, having done work for a range of agencies at local, national and international levels.