FOCUS ON

Council Budget Conversation
Residents are being encouraged to have their say on how the Council should prioritise spending for 2027/28. The Council continues to face a challenging financial environment, with rising costs and anticipated real-term reductions in funding. Planning is now underway to address the expected financial pressures for the next financial year. Current forecasts indicate a budget shortfall of £10.906 million in 2027/28, increasing cumulatively to £44.029 million by 2030/31. To help shape future decisions, the Council is seeking feedback from residents to ensure local priorities are reflected in how money is spent and where savings may be needed. As part of the engagement, residents will be asked to identify the services they consider most important, as well as how they would like funding to be allocated across key areas such as Education, Roads and Housing. To participate in the Budget conversation, please visit: https://arcg.is/Hqf5T1

Missing Awareness Raising Sessions
The UK Charity Missing People will be facilitating a Missing Awareness Session for staff in the third sector. They are inviting third sector staff across Scotland to join them for a short workshop that will increase your knowledge of missing and explore how you can build on the good practice in your local area. The session will cover:  
– Identifying indicators someone could be at risk of going missing. 
– Exploring best practice responses to support someone who has returned from a missing episode and prevention of future missing episodes.  
– Awareness raising of the National Missing Persons Framework and Missing People services, including their new SafeCall service for children and young people. 
Thursday 27^th August 10am-11.30am 
Sign up for this free session here 

Trauma-Informed Practice
It’s time for the National Trauma Transformation Programme survey! The national survey helps capture work from across Scotland and share good practice. The findings inform the National Learning Report. Please answer this survey to capture the variety of work, good practice and barriers throughout West Dunbartonshire. They will then collate this to write their response and produce a local report of findings. Any questions, get in touch by contacting emily.aitken2@nhs.scot The survey will be open until 10th July and can be found here

IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) brings together climate research from around the world to summarise the latest climate science. Its reports help us understand the impacts of climate change, future risks, and options for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to a changing climate. IPCC reports are widely used by governments, policymakers and organisations to inform climate-related decisions. The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) has summarised key findings from the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report in an easy-to-understand infographic. Take a look

MSP Support Strengthened Third Sector Partnership
An amended Scottish Government motion passed the Parliament this week. The motion calling for the “strengthening of Scotland’s partnership with the third sector” passed with MSPs voting overwhelmingly in favour. The debate, led by Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, proposed a motion which commends “the essential role that the third sector plays in supporting people and communities”, and laying out what a future partnership agreement could look like. Full details here 

Vision After Stroke
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) has partnered with the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Visibility Scotland to create a new set of vision after stroke resources. The Vision after Stroke Essential Guide and accompanying Double Vision, Visual Neglect / Inattention, and Visual Field Loss Factsheets gives advice, support and information to people who are going through vision loss, and their carers. Joanne Graham, director of service delivery at CHSS, said: “With around two out of every three people who have a stroke experiencing some visual changes we knew it was important to have a series of dedicated resources to support them. Our booklets cover the key information in a bite sized and accessible way. Access the resources here