ECBI - Edinburgh Community Backgreens Initiative - Providing Greenspace for the Community

Set Up Of A Community Backgreen Group
If there is sufficient interest in a community backgreen project from the residents around a tenement square, we invite all the residents to a public meeting.  We describe what is involved in setting up a community backgreen project, and give residents an opportunity to ask questions.  If there is continued support for the project, we propose that the group of residents form themselves into a Community Backgreen Group. 

A community backgreen group is a constituted body which provides a focus for discussion about the management of the site - a written constitution sets down rules as to how the group can work together, hold meetings, raise funds, make decisions.  Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association can provide a draft constitution which can be adopted by the group.

Membership of the community backgreen group is open to all residents which live around the site and/or who own a flat around the site.  The members appoint a management committee which meets regularly (perhaps once every three months), to discuss the project and make decisions.  Community backgreen group do not need to charge membership fees, but this can be a useful way to raise cash to maintain the site.

The community backgreen group does not have any claims to ownership of the backgreens, they continue to be owned by the owners of the flats on each stair.  The groups mandate to develop and improve the site comes from its membership, therefore it is always preferable to encourage as many residents to join the CBA as possible.

We encourage groups to open a treasurers account with a bank, which can be used  to keep a money raised for the regeneration of the site.>

Membership of Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association
Once a CBA is established it can apply to join Edinburgh Community Backgreens Association.  The management committee of the CBA will appoint one of their number to represent the CBA on the Board of Directors which meet once a quarter to discuss ECBA business.  This ensures that ECBA is governed by the communities which it serves.