Delivering a National Commitment to Scotland’s Towns: Community Wealth Building as a driver for inclusive growth
Delivering a National Commitment to Scotland’s Towns: Community Wealth Building as a driver for inclusive growth
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Session Overview
Community Wealth Building is an approach to economic development that aims to create local jobs, support a diverse business base, and keep wealth circulating within the local economy so that it is locally owned and benefits local people.
It has become important in creating fairer, stronger and more resilient local economies. Now constituted through The Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Act 2026, by retaining wealth locally, strengthening local supply chains, increasing community ownership and ensuring investment delivers long term social and economic value, towns can create more inclusive and sustainable growth.
Building on the practical workshop being delivered at the Scotland's Towns Conference, this session will explore how Community Wealth Building can be applied to town planning and regeneration through the Town Centre First Principle. Delegates will hear from organisations leading the way across Scotland, sharing practical examples of how local ownership, procurement, partnership and place based decision making are creating stronger local economies and more resilient communities.
The session will provide an opportunity for delegates to reflect on their own local plans, learn from others and identify practical actions that can be implemented within their own towns.
Programme
10am – 10.10am Welcome and Setting the Context
Kimberley Guthrie, Chief Officer, Scotland’s Towns Partnership
Introducing the Community Wealth Building in Towns Toolkit, developed collaboratively at Scotland’s Towns Conference, which provides some of the actions towns can and should consider to enhance Community Wealth Building activity.
This session will explore the role of Community Wealth Building policy in delivering inclusive economic growth and resilient towns using the Town Centre First Principle framework as an important framework for embedding wealth, opportunity and investment within our places.
10.10am – 10.25am Community Wealth Building and the Town Centre First Principle
Tracy Jackson, Community Wealth Building Policy Manager, Scottish Government
Exploring what Community Wealth Building policy means for practical action in towns, the partnerships, approaches and investment required to ensure more wealth is retained within and benefits local communities. Drawing on examples of practice across Scotland, it will highlight opportunities, challenges and the mechanisms needed to make Community Wealth Building a reality in Scotland’s towns.
10.25am – 10.40am Clackmannanshire leading the way - From Pilot to Practice
Paul Morris, Economic Development and Strategy Officer, Clackmannanshire Council & Chair of the Community Wealth Building Practitioners Network
As one of the first local authorities to adopt a Community Wealth Building Action Plan, Clackmannanshire offers valuable insight into what it takes to put these principles into practice. Five years on, this session will explore how community wealth building has been embedded in the local approach to inclusive economic development, and the difference it is making across Clackmannanshire’s towns.
Drawing on the critical partnerships, Paul will share the outcomes, both anticipated and unexpected, alongside the lessons learned through delivery. Through a range of practical examples, he will bring the principles of community wealth building to life, illustrating how they are translating into meaningful change on the ground.
10.40am – 10.55am More than just assets, building community wealth through heritage
Fatima Uygun, CEO, Govanhill Baths
Fatima will share the Govanhill Baths story and how a community led approach has helped develop local skills, networks, social enterprise, heritage, community empowerment and a strong sense of identity. We’ll hear what’s next for Govanhill Baths in building and retaining wealth for the benefit of their community and what others can learn and transfer from their approach.
10.55am Partner panel and Audience Discussion
Guest panellists from Historic Environment Scotland, Zero Waste Scotland and Visit Scotland will share what Community Wealth Building means to their sectors, drawing on practice examples from across Scotland. Before opening out discussion with panel, speakers and audience.
Discussion will expand on how towns can embed community wealth building activity into existing regeneration plans, how a town centre first approach, supports inclusive and local growth and where the expertise, funding and support available for practitioners and communities.
11.25am – 11.30am Closing Reflections
Kimberley Guthrie, Chief Officer, Scotland’s Towns Partnership
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