Communities Directorates

The Communities Directorates (Scottish Gaelic: Buidheann-stiùiridh nan Coimhearsnachdan) are a group of civil service Directorates in the Scottish Government. The individual Directorates within the overarching Communities Directorates report to the Director-General, Louise MacDonald.

History

The Governance and Communities Directorates were created by a December 2010 re-organisation, with Paul Gray appointed as the Director-General.^[1] In June 2014, Sarah Davidson was appointed as Director-General, with the group of Directorates now simply referred to as "Communities".^[2]

Ministers

There is no direct relationship between Ministers and the Directorates. However, in general, the activities of the Directorates include those under the purview of the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP. She is assisted in this work by the Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees, the Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning and the Minister for Housing.

Directorates

The overarching Scottish Government Directorates were preceded by similar structures called "Departments" that no longer exist (although the word is still sometimes used in this context).^[3] As an overarching unit, the Communities Directorates incorporate a number of individual Directorates entitled:

• Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights - Director: Alison Byrne
• Local Government and Housing - Director: Sean Neill
• Public Service Reform - Director: Mary McAllan
• Social Security - Director: Stephen Kerr
• Tackling Child Poverty and Social Justice - Director: Shirley Laing
• Ukraine Resettlement - Interim Director: Miriam Craven

The individual Directorates are headed by Directors who are assisted by Deputy Directors.

References

1. "New Director General Health". Scottish Government (Press release). 31 October 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
2. "About: People: Strategic Board: Communities". Scottish Government. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
3. "Reporting on 100 Days: Moving Scotland forward" Scottish Government. Retrieved 15 August 2009. "A new structure for Scotland's Government has been put in place, transforming the Departmental structure, moving from 9 Heads of Department, to a Strategic Board with the Permanent Secretary and five Directors General (DG), with each DG having responsibility for driving one of the Government's strategic objectives. Directors-General focus on the performance of the whole organisation against the Cabinet's agenda. The new structure means that the old Scottish Executive Departments no longer exist. Instead, each DG supports and manages a number of Directors, with these Directorates leading, presenting and developing policy for Ministers."

External links

• Directorates on Scottish Government website