A community council which has been fighting to help local residents for more than 30 years is facing being disbanded because of a lack of members.
Gorebridge Community Council faces taking the tough decision after not enough members turned up at recent meetings sparking moves towards dissolution.
Now it is appealing to local residents to get involved, warning it is the only organisation developers and the local authority have to consult when making decision about the community.
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And other communities have been urged to get more involved with supporting their own community organisations before they are lost.
Robert Hogg, chair of the Midlothian Federation of Community Councils, says the work carried out by the organisations which are made up of volunteers from within the towns and villages can go unnoticed by residents. He urged people across the county to get behind their local groups saying “we are the ears of the community and give them a voice.”
There are 16 community councils in Midlothian with the number expected to go down to 15 with plans underway to merge Bonnyrigg and Lasswade with Poltonhall and Hopefield.
Now Gorebridge Community Council has said it will have to dissolve unless new members can be found. The group is holding an annual general meeting in May which will be open to everyone to attend. But unless people come forward willing to represent the community it could be the last meeting it will hold.
Mr Hogg said: “Losing Gorebridge Community Council will mean Gorebridge has no statutory voice that has to be consulted about future decisions. It would be a real loss and I hope people will come forward to take up the torch.
“Being on the community council can be very rewarding and is a chance to get involved in community issues, shape future decisions and help organise community events.
“And people with all sorts of skills are needed, from social media to treasurer and secretary roles as well as people with a passion or their community.”
Cath McGill, the current chairperson of Gorebridge Community Council said often people do not realise the work its members carry out.
She said: “Remembrance day parades, Christmas processions and the lights are all provided by the community council with very little budget and involve a lot of work but it is also incredibly rewarding. It is worth it but without new people coming in this vital group will be lost and that would be a real loss to the community.”
Cath said while one of the community council's most important roles is as a local representative in planning, which has a statutory duty to consult the group, there is much more involved in being a community councillor.
She said: "As well as representing the community to the local authority, we facilitate a wide range of activities which promote the well-being of our community. We bring local people together to help make things happen, and protect and promote the identity of our community.
"We advise, petition, influence and advocate numerous causes and cases of concern on behalf of our local community."
Across the county community council meetings are attended by elected Midlothian councillors as well as community police officers offering an opportunity to raise issues and concerns.
Cath said: "If you have concerns about a local issue, get involved, community councils are the place to do it."
Anyone wanting to find out more about joining Gorebridge Community Council can email them for more information with details of the time of the May 17 AGM, which will be held in the Gorebridge Beacon.
Contact details for all Midlothian's community councils are available at www.midlothian.gov.uk/info/200284/your_community/534/community_councils
