£60k payment will support groups for ethnic miniorities, gays and lesbians plus many others

For a community agreement aimed at engaging under-represented groups in the authority has been given the go ahead.

It is aimed at the voluntary sector, businesses, New College Lanarkshire initiatives as well as North Lanarkshire Partnership organisations.

Beginning in March with a survey to assess current views on what is working well, in regard to levels of trust and challenges, the programme will in April through June offer workshops aimed at key communities.

Specifically, these are Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic groups; unpaid carers; LGTBi groups; people with disabilities and long-term conditions; older adults; people from different faith communities; people on low income and the young people of North Lanarkshire.

Subsequently the information gathered from these will be considered and reported with the community concordat being drafted with th e aim of having this approved by the end of the year.

It will be officially launched in early 2023 with later surveys being held to assess its impact.

The approach was “wholeheartedly endorsed” by Kilsyth Labour Councillor Heather Brannan-McVey (pictured).

She added: “This is about getting the connections to the communities that are not fully represented.”