CPP September Board Minute
North Ayrshire Council · 5 November 2025
Back to North Ayrshire Council — 5 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL 5 November 2025 Council Title: North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board Purpose: To submit the overview of the meeting of the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership Board held in September 2025 and the Community Planning Annual Performance Report. Recommendation: That Council notes the overview and report contained in Appendices 1 and 2. 1. Executive Summary 1.1 It was previously agreed that the Minutes of the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Board be submitted to North Ayrshire Council for information. The key matters arising from the most recent minute, including the annual CPP Report for 2024/25 which is required through the Community Empowerment Act 2015, have been highlighted for the attention of Council and are detailed in Section 2. 2. Background 2.1 An overview of the meeting of the CPP Board held on 11 September 2025 is appended. The meeting took the form of rotating workshops on topics relating to Local Outcomes Improvement Plan priorities of Wellbeing Work and World. CPP partners were given the opportunity to attend each workshop in turn to learn about the work of each project, report or service. Agenda Item 3 The CPP Board were updated on the recent review of Locality Planning in North Ayrshire and the next steps for CPP partners. One of the key aims of the review is to ensure that relationships are strengthened between community and locality planning. This was followed by a discussion session. Views shared included: • The turnover of staff across partners is a challenge. • We need to align diaries for the three Ayrshire CPPs as many partners need to attend all three. • Partners agreed to re-establish partner representation at each LPP. • The Third Sector should be well represented.
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The CPP Board were advised that the team would pull together actions for review and implementation after the meeting. Agenda Item 4 The CPP Board participated in two rotating workshop sessions, which are designed to encourage closer discussion, increase understanding of the partners areas of work and provide opportunities for partnership working and support: Workshop 1: Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) – Sam Anson, Executive Director Education (NAC) The CPP Board were provided with a progress update on the work of CHES in North Ayrshire and asked participants to consider opportunities for partnership working and support. A wealth of feedback was collected including: • Partners stressed the requirement for interagency alignment. • SDS are working directly with young people (S1-S6) on career management skills. • Kilwinning college have been running a pilot program for students who are attending horticulture/trade apprenticeship courses carrying out grounds maintenance/painting work. • Discussion took place around how can we build on what is already taking place-for example, Men’s Sheds/Community Groups. • Partners highlighted that local people need to feel their opinion is valued. Workshop 2: North Ayrshire Wellbeing Alliance – Malcolm McPhail, Chief Executive, KA Leisure The CPP Board participated in a workshop to discuss the work of the North Ayrshire Wellbeing Alliance. The latest version of the KA Leisure "Leading the Way" strategy for 2025-2027 was shared, along with an overview of the Kilwinning employability and wellbeing pilot. Discussion included: • The KA Leisure Performance Strategy has been reviewed with the focus increasingly shifting to reducing child and family poverty. • The Kilwinning Pilot – Phase 2 began with an ideas workshop involving 28 partners, where insights were captured that aren’t found in data or statistics. This collective voice has continued to shape both the delivery and direction of the pilot, ensuring that the work remains rooted in real community experience and partnership collaboration. • Phase 2 will build on this by combining demographic data with the lived experience and insight gathered from local residents and partners, enabling a more tailored and targeted wellbeing offer for the 450-household area. The next phase will prioritise practical, person-centred interventions that reflect local need and build on existing strengths. • Tackling child poverty is a priority for the next two years, aiming to use the Alliance as a tool to reduce child poverty, with ongoing analysis and review by the Board. • Looking ahead the next phase includes developing Wellbeing Hubs that extend beyond sport, linking with public health, the college, and SPT transport to open opportunities and agency, especially for disengaged young people.
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• Board members stressed the need for more equitable approaches and the importance of data-driven localised strategies. The CPP Annual Report 2024/25 The CPP Annual Report is developed through an ongoing co-production process with community planning partners and reflects our shared priorities and joint efforts throughout the year. It is a statutory requirement through the Community Empowerment Act 2015. The report includes: • An overview of North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership including the recent national CPP self-assessment; • Case studies of partnership working across the three LOIP priorities of wellbeing, work and world including our approach to reducing child poverty, the Kilwinning wellbeing pilot, Employability Week, and the Community Renewable Energy Generation Fund; • Relevant data from the North Ayrshire Wellbeing Dashboard, which has been agreed as the key dataset for measuring our impact; • An overview of activity and achievements for each of our 6 Locality Partnerships; and • A statement of the CPP focus areas for 25/26 including increased pan-Ayrshire working, implementation of the recent review of Locality Planning and the upcoming results of the Local Governance Review. The final draft of the North Ayrshire CPP Annual Report for 2024/25 has been provided for information at Appendix 2. 3. Proposals 3.1 That the Council notes the workshop overviews and report contained in Appendices 1 and 2. 4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty Financial 4.1 None. Human Resources 4.2 None. Legal 4.3 None. Equality/Socio-economic 4.4 None. Climate Change and Carbon 4.5 None.
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Key Priorities 4.6 The CPP activities detailed within this report support the Local Outcomes Improvement Plan. Community Wealth Building 4.7 None. Islands Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) 4.8 None. United Nations Rights of the Child (UNCRC) 4.9 None. Consumer Duty 4.10 None. 5. Consultation 5.1 No consultation was required. David W. Hammond Executive Director (Communities and Housing) For further information please contact Jacqui Greenlees, Senior Manager (Policy, Performance and Community Planning), on 01294 324415. Background Papers Appendix: 1 CPP Board Overview, 11 September 2025 Appendix: 2 CPP Annual Report 2024/25
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Community Planning Partnership Board 11 September 2025 10.00am Fullarton ConneXions, Church Street, Irvine Present North Ayrshire Council Cllr Marie Burns, Elected Member (Chair) Cllr Shaun Macaulay, Elected Member Cllr John Bell, Elected Member, Cllr Scott Davidson, Elected Member, Cllr Margaret Johnson, Elected Member, Craig Hatton, Chief Executive David Hammond, Executive Director Rhonda Leith, Head of Service Sam Anson, Executive Director Caroline Cameron, Director NHS Ayrshire and Arran Lisa Davidson, Assistant Director (Public Health) Police Scotland Chief Inspector Judith Macgregor Scottish Fire & Rescue Kevin Murphy, Area Commander TACT Scotland Kaileigh Brown, Executive Director SDS Claire Tooze, Area Manager Ayrshire College Angela Cox, Principal & Chief Executive In Attendance Jacqui Greenlees (NAC), Angela Gibson (NAC), Jennifer McGee (NAC) Apologies Cllr Charles Currie, Elected Member, Gordon James NHS, Cllr Alan Hill Elected Member, Cllr Amanda Kerr Elected Member, Allan Comrie SPT, Dean Anderson DWP, Brian Taylor Scottish Government, Ian McMeekin Scottish Fire & Rescue, Lesley Bowie NHS, Vicki Yuill Arran CVS,
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1. Welcome and Apologies The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and apologies for absence were noted. 2. Minute of the Previous Meeting The overview of the Board meeting held on 5 June 2025 were approved. 3. Locality Planning David Hammond and Jacqui Greenlees opened the meeting with a slide presentation providing the group with an update/overview of the work on the Review of Locality Planning and next steps. David opened the meeting up for discussion setting out the desire to ensure that relationships are strengthened between community and locality planning and asking that the group provide their views on the three questions below : 1. What do we have already that is working well? 2. What are the barriers? 3. How can we solidify relationships? Views shared included: • Turnover in staff across partners is a challenge • New people attending meetings are not aware of what has happened before/at previous meetings • Biggest challenge is how we make sure what we are hearing is representative of our communities • Need to align diaries for the three Ayrshire CPPs as many partners need to attend all three • Above could help provide thematic focus, e.g. SPT representative at GV LPP given moving around priority, for example • Agreement to re-establish partner representation at each LPP • Locality Networks discussed, examples of ways partners could engage differently were provided • Sharing locality action plans with matrix of where partners can add value would be helpful • How do we make sure that the Third Sector is better represented • Those attending meetings should ask questions before they attend so that they are up to speed • Need to be flexible to each of the locality areas • Attendees need time to prep before attending meetings • Induction pack for new members could be useful resource • The attendance of reps from LEP would be beneficial At the end of the discussion period David advised that the team would pull together the actions for review and implementation after the meeting. David advised it was heartening to see the high level of willingness and commitment from the group to participate. The team will look at what we can do to maximise resources.
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4 Workshop Sessions The workshop sessions were designed to encourage closer discussion, increase understanding of the partners areas of work and provide opportunities for partnership working and support. Session 1 – Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) – Sam Anson, Executive Director Education (NAC) Participants were split between 2 tables. Sam provided an update on the work of CHES in North Ayrshire and asked participants to consider opportunities for partnership working and support. Participants were provided with illustrations/handouts and Sam asked that participants make their notes/comments on them. Discussion took place, views shared included: • Requirement for interagency alignment • Where are the additional opportunities to work across CHES • Everyone should receive the level of support that they need • Children who are struggling should receive additional support • School meals are not as useful/appealing to children as they used to be – children prefer to go out with school grounds to purchase their lunch from fast food/shops. • Every child deserves the best start in life • SDS are working directly with young people (S1-S6) in regards to career management skills • Requirement to look at impact from a locality level/interventions by locality • Education have gathered feedback on what mattered to each locality and engaged with young people to bring it to a child’s level of understanding • Requirement to look at the gaps in info – how do we inform people of what help/support is available • Ensure that when we communicate that it means something – what do I need to know/how does this help me • The use of pictorial graphics helps with discussions as it keeps things simple/easy to understand • Requirement to look at what works and what doesn’t work • Awareness of the importance of key workers • North Ayrshire has the highest level of economical inactivity • North Ayrshire has the lowest level of health expectancy • The highest level of improvement in child poverty levels has been in North Ayrshire • Real deep focused work is taking place • Improvements are required to make hub of Irvine town centre more ascetically pleasing • What can we do to make Town Centres places that people can be proud of • What does a new Town Centre in 2020 look like • Requirement to invest in aesthetics • Scale of challenge is almost too big • Local volunteer/clean up crews do a great job • Local people still have a sense of pride in their community • Requirement to look at what can be done practically • Kilwinning Campus is oversubscribed which could mean there is a risk of people becoming a statistic
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• Kilwinning college are looking into providing a guaranteed place at college to certain postcodes • Kilwinning college have been running a pilot program for students who are attending horticulture/trade apprenticeship courses – these students have been doing great work tidying up their local areas by carrying out grounds maintenance/painting work etc. • How do we affect change/give people a pride in their area • The old Forum indoor market is unsecure – the owners are not interested in securing the building therefore the Police have stepped in to pay for it to be steel shuttered as it is a dangerous building • Need to be aware of using council budgets/public money to clean up Private properties – is not the council’s responsibility the responsibility falls to the owner of the building • Requirement to look at ways to get things done – possibility to use Mens Sheds/Community Groups • Messaging and education needs to be improved • Do people feel their opinion is valued Session 2 – Wellbeing Alliance – Malcolm McPhail, Chief Executive KA Leisure M McPhail provided an overview of the work of the North Ayrshire Wellbeing Alliance and shared the latest version of the KA Leisure "Leading the Way" strategy for 2025-2027, along with an overview of the Kilwinning Pilot and a proposal titled "Tackling Child Poverty through the Wellbeing Alliance. The Board discussed the following: • The KA Leisure Performance Strategy was reviewed, focusing on highlighted sections, with attention now shifting to child and family poverty • The Wellbeing Alliance, initiated by the CPP following a LOIP review, has engaged over 600 senior individuals in 2.5 years • Two key needs identified, a programme to drive wellbeing change and a taskforce to communicate directly and analyse issues in detail • Kilwinning Pilot – Phase 2: The groundwork established through Phase 1 now provides a strong foundation for more focused, community-led delivery. What makes the Kilwinning Pilot distinctive is that it began with an ideas workshop involving 28 partners, where insights were captured that you won’t find in data or statistics. This collective voice has continued to shape both the delivery and direction of the pilot, ensuring that the work remains rooted in real community experience and partnership collaboration. • Phase 2 will build on this by combining demographic data with the lived experience and insight gathered from local residents and partners, enabling a more tailored and targeted wellbeing offer for the 450-household area. The next phase will prioritise practical, person-centred interventions that reflect local need and build on existing strengths.The pilot emphasises a person-centred approach over traditional training, with diverse activities addressing wellbeing and unemployment. • Tackling child poverty is the priority for the next two years, aiming to use the alliance as a forensic tool to eradicate child poverty, with ongoing analysis and review by the Board • The next phase includes developing Wellbeing Hubs that extend beyond sport, linking with public health, the college, and SPT transport to open opportunities and agency, especially for disengaged young people. • There is potential for stronger involvement from SPT, which has already supported community funds for electric vehicles and bike schemes • Participatory Budgeting projects, like those at Blacklands and Whitehurst Park, showcase real community engagement and impact
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• Engagement with the college needs to be further developed and clarified • Board members stressed the need for more equitable approaches and the importance of data-driven localised strategies • Targeted efforts are required to reach children not attending school, with attention to family support infrastructure and community ecosystem effectiveness. • The revised strategy document (version 2.0) is expected soon, incorporating lessons learned from work of the Wellbeing Alliance, Garnock Valley Taskforce, and the Kilwinning Pilot. • There is enthusiasm to secure funding to pilot innovative, ground-level actions to test new approaches and support sustained wellbeing improvements. 5 Partner Discussion and Sharing on Key Developments and Opportunities The Chair invited anyone wishing to share with the Board to do so. Board Members did not have any additional items to add. 6. AOCB No other business was discussed. The Chair conveyed her thanks to everyone for their valuable input and attendance. The next meeting of the North Ayrshire CPP Board will be held on Thursday 4 December 2025.
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1 North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership Annual Report 2024/25
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2 Contents 1. Introduction 2. Our Partnership Plan 3. The Golden Thread 4. Priority 1: Wellbeing 5. Priority 2: Work 6. Priority 3: World 7. Locality Planning 8. Review of Locality Planning 9. Locality Profiles a. Arran b. Garnock Valley c. Irvine d. Kilwinning e. North Coast f. Three Towns 10. Our Impact 11. The Year Ahead 12. Contact us and link to evaluation survey
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3 1. Introduction Welcome to our annual report! Community Planning is the statutory framework through which local public services work together with communities and third sector organisations. We work to plan and deliver services that will improve long term outcomes and tackle inequalities. It is a legal duty within the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. There are main duties in the legislation that Community Planning Partnerships need to fulfil: This annual report outlines how North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership (CPP) is meeting these duties and provides an overview of our achievements.0020 This report comprises of case studies alongside impact data and includes sections that focus on our key partnership priorities as well as a full update on each of our Locality Partnerships for 2024/25. The Data: How are we measuring impact? In early 2025, the CPP Senior Officers Grouped approved the North Ayrshire Wellbeing Dashboard as the core dataset for LOIP impact measurement. The North Ayrshire Wellbeing Dashboard builds on the Inclusive Economy Dashboard, which was developed in 2021 to bring together a suite of socio- economic and environmental indicators to aid understanding of inclusive growth trends across North Ayrshire. The current dashboard has been refreshed by Metro Dynamics. Each LOIP priority section in this report includes an overview of the most recent linked thematic data from the dashboard, which is updated on a 6 monthly basis. If you have questions about the dashboard or would like a list of data sources, please contact us at communityplanning@north-ayrshire.gov.uk. Partners work together in a Community Planning Partnership (CPP) Produce a Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP) Develop Locality Plans Review and report publicly on progress
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4 2. Our Partnership Plan (LOIP) North Ayrshire CPP is made up of organisations and communities working together to plan and deliver better public services and to reduce inequality in North Ayrshire. Our key Community Planning Partners include:
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5 As a Partnership, work together on the three shared priorities of Wellbeing, Work and World set out in the North Ayrshire Local Outcomes Improvement Plan (LOIP). It is an eight-year plan that identifies how we as Community Planning partners will work with local communities, local businesses and the third sector to improve our agreed upon outcomes and achieve our vision of “North Ayrshire – Fair for All.” We used the North Ayrshire strategic needs assessment, partner resources and expertise as well as public feedback to develop the LOIP. It was agreed by the Community Planning Board on 3rd March 2022. The Community Planning Board report on LOIP gives an overview of the development process and rationale for the plan. We also carried out a health impact assessment and equality impact assessment of the draft plan. Reducing Child Poverty in North Ayrshire In 2022-23 North Ayrshire had the second-highest rate of child poverty in Scotland with 29.2% of local children living in poverty after housing costs against a national average of 24%. In June 2022, North Ayrshire Council set up the Child Poverty and Cost of Living Board to address child poverty and help residents cope with the rising cost of living. The governance arrangements were recently updated, moving the work to the Community Planning Partnership to reflect that reducing child poverty is a joint effort across all partner organisations and reflect the CPP vision of a North Ayrshire that is fair for all. North Ayrshire has introduced several initiatives to reduce child poverty. Last year, it became a Fairer Futures Partnership with the Scottish Government. These partnerships bring together local authorities and government to support families living in poverty by reforming public services alongside the third sector and trying out locally tailored approaches that meet the specific needs and assets of the community. In January 2025, the Child Poverty Strategy Team was formed with funding from the partnership. The team includes a Strategy and Programme Manager, a Project Manager, and a Policy Officer. Their role is to deliver the aims of the Fairer Futures Partnership and the Community Planning Partnership, supporting North Ayrshire's wider priority of moving towards a wellbeing economy. The Fairer Futures team take a holistic approach, focusing on personalised support and ensuring people can easily access advice and assistance when they need it. They work in partnerships improving employment support, skills training, and increased access to services. They also aim to make information about council
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6 support, grants, and help with the cost of living clearer and easier to find. Crucially, they involve families and partner organisations to make sure support meets real needs, using data as an important evidence base. From statistics shared this year, analysis shows our child poverty level reduced to 24.3% in 2023-24 compared to 23% nationally. The reduction of 4.9 percentage points within North Ayrshire being the largest reduction of all Scottish councils over the year. As the Child Poverty Strategy Team progress the work of the Fairer Futures Partnership, including place-based tests of change co-designed with local third sector organisations and people with lived experience; developments with children and families will be targeted and focused on specific needs, intending to continue reducing the level of child poverty in North Ayrshire. National CPP Self-Assessment and the CPP Development Plan In late 2024, North Ayrshire CPP participated in the first national community planning self-assessment. The self-assessment focused on the strategic board level of these partnerships and over 200 CPP board members from 20 CPPs participated. The self-assessment will take place every two years to allow CPPs to monitor progress and support continuous improvement. Feedback from our Board members was overwhelmingly positive. An overview of the scoring for each theme is outlined in the table below: Themes North Ayrshire CPP National Average (Based on 20 CPPs) Compariso n to the 20 CPPs Shared Leadership 86% 76% 6th Governance and Accountability 73% 64% 7th Community Engagement and Capacity Building 88% 72% 3rd Effective Use of Joint Resources 55% 49% 8th Reporting Performance Management and Outcomes 90% 65% 3rd How CPP is Making an Impact 72% 59% 7th Based on the above results, several areas of focus were pulled out for the 2025/26 CPP Development Plan including: • Evaluating current CPP governance • Identifying opportunities for pan Ayrshire working across the 3 Ayrshire CPPs • Developing closer links between the CPP Senior Officers Group and Board, and • Increased focus on our annual performance workshop.
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7 3. The Golden Thread We want to ensure that the needs and aspirations of our communities are reflected through a golden thread from the most local engagement all the way to the National Performance Framework, and that our partnership approaches link closely with local and national priorities. • The National Performance Framework measures Scotland’s progress against national outcomes and is currently under review. • The Local Outcomes Improvement Plan is our eight-year plan that identifies how we as Community Planning partners will work with local communities, local businesses and the third sector to achieve our vision of “North Ayrshire – Fair for All.” • The North Ayrshire Council Plan 2023-28 describes how the Council works in partnership to fulfil the aim of ‘A North Ayrshire that is ‘Fair for All’. • Our Locality Planning model is one of the ways local communities work together with public and third sector organisations to improve residents’ lives and neighbourhoods. There are six Locality Partnerships in North Ayrshire which each have their own locally engaged upon priorities, and they cover the whole local authority area. Locality Planning in Scotland is about reducing inequalities and enabling communities to participate in decision making at a neighbourhood level. A wide sphere of engagement and strategic work sits behind our Locality Partnerships including Locality Network meetings and Locality Chit Chats. National Performance Framework Local Outcomes Improvement Plan Council, thematic and Partner Strategic Plans Locality Partnerships and Locality Networks Neighbourhood Engagement (e.g. Chit Chats) North Ayrshire Community Member
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8 4. Priority 1: Wellbeing What do we want to do? We will reduce inequalities through targeted support to improve individual, family and community health and wellbeing. How are we delivering on this? Established in December 2022, North Ayrshire’s Wellbeing Alliance builds on the existing efforts of partners across North Ayrshire to develop the strategic vision of the wellbeing agenda in North Ayrshire. The North Ayrshire Wellbeing Alliance will provide a multi-level leadership body in the development and delivery of the Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) 2022 -2030 for North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership (NACPP). Three priorities have been identified: Wellbeing, Work and World. The main objective of the ‘Wellbeing’ priority is to reduce inequalities through targeted support to improve individual, family and community health and wellbeing. The remit of this multi-level working body includes: • Tackle the inequalities related to wellbeing with a clear focus on early intervention and prevention and a whole system approach • Identify and create opportunities for innovation, improvement and efficiency • Facilitate co-produced solutions to promote equality and reduce health inequalities 1.1 Address Inequalities 1.1.1 Partnership working mitigates the health challenges for those most vulnerable in our communities. 1.1.2 Partnership working mitigates the financial challenges for those most vulnerable in our communities. 1.1.3 Children and young people’s wellbeing is improved through partnership working. 1.2 Enable Community Wellbeing 1.2.1 We have strong relationships within our communities to reduce social isolation and loneliness 1.2.2 A whole system approach is in place to ensure that people can access the right support at the right time (No Wrong Door). 1.2.3 People feel heard and that they have influence and a sense of control.
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9 • Provide visibility for the community health and wellbeing agenda for the residents and communities of North Ayrshire • Enable shared planning and identify gaps and overlaps in provision, whilst considering potential savings in activities where appropriate • Identify opportunities to access funding • Align all communication to the vision ensuring that the Wellbeing Alliance brand is recognised throughout North Ayrshire by its residents and communities. KA Leisure is leading on this pillar and building upon their well-established, sector leading Health and Wellbeing Service. Contributions, feedback and insight from a series of engagement events have been captured in this paper view here. To support the paper a short explainer animation can be viewed here. Wellbeing: What is the data telling us? Overleaf you will find an overview of relevant Wellbeing data from the North Ayrshire Wellbeing Dashboard, which brings together a suite of socio-economic and environmental indicators that aim to measure progress towards delivery of a Wellbeing Economy in North Ayrshire. The data shown is a time series, whereby the most recent available data are shown, alongside the data from the last period, to show the direction of travel of the given indicator. Key Colour Explanation Performance better than previous year's Performance about the same as previous year Performance worse than previous year Colour coding not relevant because: we do not have previous period's data, or indicator is a running total, or there is no benefit in higher or lower value. For NA and Scotland, we may not be able to make a meaningful comparison between data due to differences in scale
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10 Wellbeing: What is the data telling us? Objective Indicator North Ayrshire North Ayrshire last period North Ayrshire performance compared to last period Polarity North Ayrshire 3 years prior Scotland North Ayrshire performance compared to Scotland Promote wellbeing ONS personal wellbeing: average (mean) happiness score (out of 10) 7.34/10 (2022/23) 7.15 (2021/22) +0.19 Higher value is better 7.22 (2019/20) 7.49/10 (2022/23) -0.15 ppts Crime rate (Total number of recorded crimes/offen ces per 10,000 population) 569 (2024/25) 579 (2023/24) -10 Lower value is better 524 (2021/22) 545 (2024/25) +24 Percentage rating neighbourho od as a very/ fairly good place to live 94% (2023) 94% (2022) 0 Higher value is better 92% (2022) 95% (2023) -1 ppt Percentage of council dwellings that meet the Scottish Housing 76.9% (2023/24) 63.2% (2022/23) +13.7 ppts Higher value is better 97.4% (2020/21) 77.8% (2023/24) -0.9 ppts
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11 Quality Standards Tackle health inequalities Healthy life expectancy at birth: Female 52.5 (2021-23) 52.1 (2019-21) +0.4 Higher value is better 54.0 (2018-20) 60.0 (2021-23) -7.5 Healthy life expectancy at birth: Male 52.6 (2021-23) 56.5 (2019-21) -3.9 Higher value is better 57.4 (2018-20) 59.6 (2021-23) -7.0 Life expectancy at birth: Female 79.8 (2023) 79.9 (2022) -0.1 Higher value is better 80.8 (2020) 81.0 (2023) -1.2 Life expectancy at birth: Male 75.2 (2023) 75.3 (2022) -0.1 Higher value is better 74.9 (2020) 76.9 (2023) -1.7 Deaths aged 15-44 per 100,000 161 (2021- 23) 169 (2020-22) -8 Lower value is better 160 (2018-20) 112 (2021- 23) 49 Percentage population with limiting, long-term illness: A condition that lasts or is expected to last at least 12 months and reduces a person's ability to carry out 44% (2019-23) 41% (2018-22) +3 ppts Lower value is better 39% (2016-19) 36% (2019-23) +8 ppts
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12 daily activities Increase community participation Percentage of Council budget directed via participatory methods 2.05% (2023/24) 2.74% (2022/23) -0.69 ppts Higher value is better 1.13% (2020/21) Data not available No data to compare Percentage of adults who have done formal volunteering in the last 12 months 24% (2023) 28% (2022) -4 ppts Higher value is better 27% (2019) 18% (2023) +6 ppts Reduced child poverty Percentage of children living in relative poverty after housing costs: Relative poverty is less than 60% of the median income 24.3% (2023/24) 29.2% (2022/23) -4.9 ppts Lower value is better 24.7% (2020/21) 20.7% (2023/24) +3.6 ppts
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13 Working in Partnership The Kilwinning Pilot: Connecting Employability & Wellbeing Focused on connecting two of the three CPP LOIP priorities- Wellbeing and Work- the Kilwinning pilot aims to tackle the challenges of improving wellbeing and reducing unemployment. Building on the success of the Garnock Valley Taskforce, the pilot connected the wellbeing opportunities offered by KA Leisure- from physical activity, fitness and sport to social inclusion, reducing isolation health management and fun- with the expertise and resources of a wide range of partners. This ensures people can access health and wellbeing activities in addition to employability pathways, volunteering opportunities, and wider community support. Phase 1 The pilot identified the locality of Kilwinning, more specifically 450 households in Kilwinning West/ Blacklands. This began with an ideas workshop involving 28 partners to capture key insights that can’t be found in across local or national data. The results of this will be used to shape the pilot throughout its lifespan. Phase 2 Looking ahead, the groundwork is now in place for more targeted and tailored interventions. By combining demographic profiling with community insight gathered in Phase 1, the next phase will move into a more bespoke offer for the 450- household area. Connecting Wellbeing with Employability & Skills Partner Workshops October 24- February 25 Me 2 You Project March 25- June 25 Pop Up Sports Programme May 25- June 25 Blacklands Primary School Active Play May 25- June 25 Family Fun Events June 25- July 25 “The events have given us referrals from families we don’t normally engage with. Our organisation can provide a chance for parents to get the help they need to get back into work. However without partnerships like these and the combining of resources we can’t reach those in need. “ Nicola, Lennox Partnership Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland: Our Localities The Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) is a groundbreaking two- year initiative designed to improve health outcomes, enhance wellbeing, and reduce health inequities by addressing the social determinants of health.
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14 This strategic programme is closely aligned with the Institute of Health Equity (IHE), based at University College London and led by Professor Sir Michael Marmot, a global leader in health equity research. The programme draws on Marmot’s eight evidence-based principles to guide action, providing a robust framework to reduce health inequalities. These principles focus on: • Giving every child the best start in life • Enabling individuals to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives • Creating fair employment and good work for all • Ensuring a healthy standard of living • Developing healthy and sustainable places and communities • Strengthening ill health prevention • Tackling racism, discrimination, and their outcomes • Pursuing environmental sustainability alongside health equity In North Ayrshire, CHES targets persistent health inequities marked by significantly low healthy life expectancy (52.5 years for females and 52.6 for males), drug-related hospital admissions nearly double the Scottish average, elevated economic inactivity at 31.5%, and widespread deprivation across multiple areas. The programme specifically focuses on three key localities in North Ayrshire: • Irvine, concentrating on Fullarton, Castlepark, and Bourtreehill, with a focus on Marmot Principle 1: giving every child the best start in life. • Three Towns concentrating on Ardrossan Central, Saltcoats Central, and Stevenston Hayock), with a focus on Principle 3: creating fair employment and good work for all. • Garnock Valley, prioritising Principle 6: strengthening the role and impact of ill health prevention. CHES operates through a multi-agency partnership model that undertakes detailed data mapping on deprivation, health outcomes, and social determinants at multiple geographic levels. The initiative is structured in phases, beginning with discovery and problem definition (July to December 2025), progressing through development and solution delivery (2026), and culminating in evaluation (early 2027). This phased, evidence-based approach ensures collaborative, targeted, and sustained efforts to close health inequality gaps and support healthier, thriving communities across North Ayrshire.
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15 5. Priority 2: Work What do we want to do? We will address the causes and effects of poverty through a strong local economy and skills base. How are we delivering on this? The North Ayrshire Local Employability Partnership (LEP) was re-established in 2017 and tasked with overseeing and guiding employability provision in North Ayrshire. The LEP is chaired by North Ayrshire Council, meets every 6 weeks, and is attended by the following partners: • North Ayrshire Council – employability and skills, business development, children/families/justice, community learning & development and education • Department For Work & Pensions • Skills Development Scotland • Ayrshire College • TACT - Third Sector Interface • Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce 2.1 Increase Employment 2.1.1 CPP partner and other local organisations contribute to an increased employment rate in the following groups: - People with a disability/long term health condition - Low income families - Long term unemployed people - People with convictions - People living in 0-15% SIMD Areas 2.2 Develop Volunteering 2.2.1 Our Community Planning Partnership provides opportunities for local people to gain experience and skills across our partner organisations. 2.3 Better support our young people to develop the skills they need to play a strong role in our local economy 2.3.1 The number of young people employed by CPP partner and other local organisations is increased. 2.3.2 Young people have access to a wide variety of employability opportunities in North Ayrshire. 2.3.3 Across our partnership care experienced young people are supported.
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16 The North Ayrshire LEP reports to the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and uses intelligence from the Provider Forum, chaired by Skills Development Scotland and the Practitioners Forum, Chaired by North Ayrshire Council to inform activities and priorities. Operational Delivery Groups around Young People, Inclusive Growth and Closing the Disability Employment Gap have been established, and local organisations report to the LEP to maximise expertise and knowledge to identify gaps, opportunities and develop specific proposals and recommendations. This partnership structure and governance helps deliver transparency and accountability in ensuring citizens of North Ayrshire receive the best service and resources are used most effectively, where the greatest need exists to ensure no one is left behind. Work: What is the data telling us? Overleaf you will find an overview of relevant Work data from the North Ayrshire Wellbeing Dashboard, which brings together a suite of socio-economic and environmental indicators that aim to measure progress towards delivery of a Wellbeing Economy in North Ayrshire. The data shown is a time series, whereby the most recent available data are shown, alongside the data from the last period, to show the direction of travel of the given indicator. Key Colour Explanation Performance better than previous year's Performance about the same as previous year Performance worse than previous year Colour coding not relevant because: we do not have previous period's data, or indicator is a running total, or there is no benefit in higher or lower value. For NA and Scotland, we may not be able to make a meaningful comparison between data due to differences in scale
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17 Work: What is the data telling us? Objective Indicator North Ayrshire North Ayrshire last period North Ayrshire performance compared to last period Polarity North Ayrshire 3 years prior Scotland North Ayrshire performan ce compared to Scotland Increase in economic activity Total economic inactivity (percentage of those aged 16-64 who are economically inactive): people who are economically inactive are not in employment and not seeking work (33.0% Jan- Dec 2024) 27.7% (Jan- Dec 2023) +5.3 ppts Lower value is better 30.4% (Jan- Dec 2021) 23.0% (Jan- Dec 2024) +10 ppts Reduced unemplo yment Claimant Count (unemployment related UC claimants as a proportion of residents aged 16- 64) 4.0% (May 2025) 4.4% (October 2024) -0.4 ppts Lower value is better 4.8% (May 2022) 3.1% (May 2025) +0.9 ppts Female employment rate (percentage females in employment) 63.1% (Jan- Dec 2024) 68.7% (Jan- Dec 2023) -5.6 ppts Higher value is better 64.4% (Jan- Dec 2021) 72.1% (Jan- Dec 2024) -9 ppts Employment rate 64.2% (Jan- Dec 2024) 70.3% (Jan- Dec 2023) -6.1 ppts Higher value is better 64.7% (Jan- Dec 2021) 74.5% (Jan- Dec 2024) -10.3 ppts
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18 Unemployment rate 4.2% (Jan- Dec 2024) 2.7% (Jan- Dec 2023) +1.5 ppts Lower value is better 7.0% (Jan- Dec 2021) 3.3% (Jan- Dec 2024) +0.9 ppts More young people entering sustained positive destinati ons Percentage of 16-19 year olds participating in education, employment, training and other development 91.7% (2024) 92.0% (2023) -0.3 ppts Higher value is better 90.1% (2021) 92.7% (2024) -1 ppt Percentage of 16-19 years olds participating in Further/Higher Education 71.5% (2024) 73.0% (2023) -1.5ppts Higher value is better 75.3% (2021) 71.2% (2024) -0.3 ppts Youth claimant count (percentage of population aged 16- 24) 5.6% (May 2025) 5.8% (October 2024) -0.2 ppts Lower value is better 5.3% (May 2022) 3.4% (May 2025) +2.2 ppts Lifelong learning opportuni ties Percentage aged 16- 64 attaining degree level or above (RQF4+) 49.7% (2024) 54.3% (2023) -4.6 ppts Higher value is better 50.0% (2022) 53.7% (2024) -4 ppts Percentage aged 16- 64 with no or low qualifications (up to RFQ2) 32.0% (2024) 26.6% (2023) +5.4 ppts Lower value is better 25.1% (2022) 27.5% (2024) +4.5 ppts
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19 Working in Partnership Employability Week 2024 More than 600 people from across North Ayrshire found out about life-changing work and training opportunities during Employability Week. Employability Week featured a series of events to help showcase services that are available through North Ayrshire Council and various partners, with information about job vacancies, new careers, training and volunteering made available. The Council’s employability service’s Your Next Move, Working North Ayrshire programme arranged Employability Week to help people explore opportunities that are available on their doorstep. This was the second annual Employability Week, and key events were: • A Modern Apprenticeships (MA) information day at Irvine’s Volunteer Rooms. • An open day at CEiS Ayrshire, Irvine where people could meet the team and find out about the range of employment support programmes available • The launch of a new Youth Employment Hub in Stevenston Library for unemployed young people aged 16 to 24. • A networking Business Breakfast where local employers discussed employability support and recruitment and training initiatives. • The first birthday of the Parent Hub in Ardrossan to promote the variety of support that the We Work for Families Team can offer to parents and • A Jobs Fair in Saltcoats where people met local employers to find out about job vacancies and to speak with employment services for support. There was also a barbecue at Eglinton Community Gardens, Eglinton Park, Kilwinning, with information stands hosted by: the Council’s Justice service, which supports people who have been through the justice system with unpaid work and training; Equal, which is a Council service helping people with disabilities or long- term health conditions get back into work; We Work For Families, a Council-funded service in Ardrossan that supports parents to break down barriers and get into work, and employability provider CEIS Ayrshire.
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20 The MA event was a success again this year, with the team speaking to more than 200 young people who said “These events are valuable for the community” and “I would definitely recommend this to others.” Almost 30 tables were hosted by employers and partners in various sectors at the Jobs Fair and 300 members of the public went along to find out more about the range of jobs available, This week was arranged in partnership with a wide range of partners and showcases the strength of partnership working to improve outcomes across North Ayrshire.
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21 6. Priority 3: World What do we want to do? We will work more closely and effectively together to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the impacts of climate change. How are we delivering on this? The North Ayrshire Climate Change Steering Group (CCSG) Act as a sounding board and critical friend to support and challenge the implementation of the North Ayrshire Sustainability Strategy. They bring ideas, lessons learned and best practice from elsewhere in the UK and internationally around climate change mitigation and adaption. The CCSG contribute wider policy knowledge on the sustainability and climate change agenda, promote North Ayrshire’s actions on climate change and contribute to the review and refresh of the North Ayrshire Council Environmental and Climate Change Strategy as required. Members of the CCSG include representatives from: • The Council • Ayrshire College • Police Scotland
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22 • Scottish Fire & Rescue Service • NHS Ayrshire & Arran • KA Leisure • Community Groups • Industry Sector • Transport Sector • Youth Groups World: What is the data telling us? Overleaf you will find an overview of relevant World data from the North Ayrshire Wellbeing Dashboard, which brings together a suite of socio-economic and environmental indicators that aim to measure progress towards delivery of a Wellbeing Economy in North Ayrshire. The data shown is a time series, whereby the most recent available data are shown, alongside the data from the last period, to show the direction of travel of the given indicator. Key Colour Explanation Performance better than previous year's Performance about the same as previous year Performance worse than previous year Colour coding not relevant because: we do not have previous period's data, or indicator is a running total, or there is no benefit in higher or lower value. For NA and Scotland, we may not be able to make a meaningful comparison between data due to differences in scale
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23 World: What is the data telling us? Objective Indicator North Ayrshire North Ayrshire last period North Ayrshire performance compared to last period Polarity North Ayrshire 3 years prior Scotland North Ayrshire performance compared to Scotland Increased use of renewable energy and reduced carbon emissions Renewable electricity installed capacity (Mega Watts): the total electricity generation capacity of all renewable energy sites. This is a rolling total 180.7 MW (2023) 165.4 MW (2022) Comparison not relevant Higher value is better 162.8 MW (2020) 15,387.4 MW (2023) Comparison not relevant Total final energy consumption in North Ayrshire (KTOE) (Kilotonnes of oil equivalent) 411.0 ktoe (2022) 419.7 ktoe (2021) -8.7 ktoe Lower value is better 422.8 ktoe (2019) 12,031.2 ktoe (2022) Comparison not relevant Total final energy consumption in North Ayrshire (excluding bioenergy and wastes) (KTOE) 276.7 ktoe (2022) 285.2 ktoe (2021) -8.5 ktoe Lower value is better 296.3 ktoe (2019) 11,471.1 ktoe (2022) Comparison not relevant Overall carbon emissions from non- domestic council estate (tonnes) 20,745 (2023/24) 20,896 (2022/23) -151 tonnes Lower value is better Data not available Data not available No data to compare Waste reduction Percentage of total household waste that is recycled (calendar year as per SEPA) 56.1% (2023) 55.3% (2022) +0.8 ppts Higher value is better 52.1% (2020) 43.5% (2023) +12.6 ppts Tonnes of waste generated per person 0.44 tonnes (2023) 0.44 tonnes (2022) 0 Lower value is better 0.47 tonnes (2021) 0.42 (2023) +0.02 tonnes
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24 More sustainabl e travel North Ayrshire Air Quality (Roadside Emissions): number of days when level of NO2 and level of particulate matter is 'moderate' or 'high' 0 (2024) 0 (2023) 0 Lower value is better 0 (2020) Data not available No data to compare Publicly available EV (Electric Vehicle) charging points per 100,000 population This is a rolling total 98.9 (April 2025) 95.1 (Jan 2025) Comparison not relevant Higher value is better 40.2 (April 2022) 123.0 (April 2025) -24.1 Length of new or improved active travel routes per annum (metres). Active travel refers to modes of travel that involve activity 3,900 (2023/24) 1,090 (2022/23) +2,810 Higher value is better Data not available Data not available No data to compare Increase carbon sequestrati on (Carbon sequestrati on is the process of capturing and storing atmospheri c carbon dioxide) Number of trees planted under the North Ayrshire 2030 Tree Planting Strategy 36,531 (2023/24) Data not available Data not available Higher value is better Data not available Data not available No data to compare
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25 Working in Partnership Community Renewable Energy Generation Fund The Community Renewable Energy Generation Fund (CREGF) was launched in 2023 to support community-led renewable energy projects. CREGF is a competitive council fund, where approved applications are agreed on merit. Funding available for projects is £350k from our council's Investment Fund as part of a participatory budgeting approach to enable crowdfunding for environmental works. The fund supports our council's Climate Change priority, achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The aim of CREGF is to provide one-off funding for projects to increase the level of community owned renewable energy generation opportunities and accelerate community benefits from local renewable energy. To be eligible, applications had to be from constituted North Ayrshire community groups. Applications from national organisations were also accepted if their project demonstrated direct benefits to the communities of North Ayrshire. Projects were required, where possible, to include match funding from other non-council funding sources. Renewable energy generation projects could include solar photovoltaic (PV), wind turbines, hydropower, heat pumps or green hydrogen. The funding was available for different stages of projects including feasibility, business case, planning, development or installation. It is expected that any surplus, profit or reduced energy costs delivered by the scheme will be used entirely for the benefit of the community group and/or wider community. So far funding of £128,939 has been awarded to projects within the Garnock Valley, Three Towns and Arran localities. Awards have been granted for the development of a solar PV farm, wind turbine, air source heat pump and battery storage. Beith Community Development Trust installed Solar PV on their roof, combined with a battery storage facility in December 2024. This enabled them to reduce energy use and costs while generating green renewable electricity. # CREGF continues to be promoted amongst community groups as part of the ongoing work to develop Community Climate Action Plans (CCAPs). The overall aim of the CCAPs is to lower the area-wide carbon emissions of North Ayrshire. The CCAPs will contain the climate views of our communities and help to identify climate actions which also support the local priorities of each of the six localities. These actions can be taken by community groups and supported by our council. An application to the CREGF can then be made to support the climate initiatives. Our council will continue to provide financial assistance by promoting the CREGF to support community-based action. This is a key outcome within the Council Plan Climate Change priority, where the fund aims to unlock the potential of community owned energy generation to bring new income streams into communities and help them take direct action to combat climate change. The Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy 2024-27 supports the vision of a sustainable, climate ready North Ayrshire where we all play our part, whether as a local authority, business, school, community group or individual.
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26 The Robin Dam The Robin Dam is located on the River Garnock to the north of Kilbirnie. It forms a flood storage reservoir that was constructed as part of the Upper Garnock Valley Flood Protection Scheme. The reservoir stores water during periods of heavy rainfall which results in decreased peak river flows further downstream. The Robin Dam, together with the construction or improvement of other flood defences has increased flood protection in Kilbirnie, Glengarnock and Dalry. Flooding has been recorded in the Upper Garnock Valley since the 19th century and there have been significant flood events from the 1990s onwards, including in 1998, 2000, 2004, 2008 and in 2010. The 2008 flood resulted in considerable damage to property. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s (SEPA) first flood risk management plan for Ayrshire (2015) indicated that there were approximately 810 residential properties and 100 non-residential properties at risk of flooding in the Upper Garnock from both rivers and surface water sources. The development and implementation of the Upper Garnock Flood Protection Scheme was included as a measure to address this. Upper Garnock Valley Flood Protection Scheme The Upper Garnock Valley Scheme and the Robin Dam reservoir are an example of how North Ayrshire is preparing and adapting to climate change. These actions ensure that communities are prepared for and have an increased resilience to flooding and climate change. Construction of the scheme started in March 2020 and was completed in 2023. The Dam was named ‘The Robin’ following an online public poll. This was the most popular name because of the connections with a former pool in the River Garnock where local people visited for swimming, fishing and walking. In Kilbirnie and Glengarnock, the scheme removes 76 residential and 23 non-residential properties from flood risk for flood events at or below the designed flood event. During more extreme events, the same properties and a further 58 Kilbirnie properties would benefit from the scheme in some way, but flood impacts could be possible. In addition, 8 residential and 5 non-residential properties benefit from the Powgree Burn works in Glengarnock, while 49 properties benefit from the flood wall around the Mill Park housing estate in Dalry. North Ayrshire Council are currently looking at installing a story board which will help provide information on this real-life example of climate change adaptation. The story board will be placed on the public walking path around the Robin Dam. It will include before and after images, why the Dam was built and how this benefits and protects the local area. It is hoped this will encourage visitors to the Dam. The story of the Flood Protection Scheme will be included in Council’s Sustainability Team primary school lessons as an example of adapting to climate.
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27 7. Locality Planning in North Ayrshire There are six Locality Partnerships (LPs) in North Ayrshire which cover the whole local authority area. Our LPs are the way we fulfil duties under the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015 to have locality arrangements. Their membership comprises of: • Elected Members, • Community representatives, • Community Council Chairs, and • Community Planning partners. The LPs agreed their first set of local priorities following consultation, use of the Place Standard and consideration of local statistical profiles in 2017. A further consultation and priorities refresh took place in 2021. You can see an overview of each LP’s priorities on the next page. They meet quarterly with interim working groups/workshops as required. Their remit is to focus on tackling local issues and inequalities as well as to develop, review and implement the priorities of the Locality Plan for their area. Locality Planning Meeting Structure
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29 8. Review of Locality Planning The Local Governance Review is an ongoing national programme that aims to explore how powers, responsibilities, and resources can be better shared with communities. This review, alongside North Ayrshire Council’s recently published Participation Strategy, has been used to carry out a self-assessment on locality planning. The purpose of this exercise was to identify opportunities for improvement that align with our partnership goals. Locality Planning Review: National and Local Policy Context We looked at how well our locality planning is working, using feedback from our communities and national work like the Local Governance Review and Democracy Matters 2. The aim is to make sure local people have more say in decisions and that we keep improving how we work together. What we did in 2024 • Surveys with locality reps to find out what’s going well, what’s difficult, and where things could improve. • Locality profiles were created to give a clearer picture of each area and its priorities. • Elected members took part in a Policy Advisory Panel session to share their views. • We looked at good practice nationally so we can learn from others while shaping approaches to fit North Ayrshire. The feedback showed that people involved in Locality Partnerships feel really connected to the work, with community members saying they feel included. At the same time, a few things were picked out that could be better – like using meeting time more effectively and spending more time looking closely at big priority issues. Partners also said they face challenges, especially around having enough resources and dealing with changes in staff, which can make it harder to keep things running Christie Commission (2011): Highlighted collaboration and community empowerment as key drivers of public sector reform. Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act (2015): Strengthened the role of communities in planning and decision- making. Local Governance Review (Democracy Matters 2): Ongoing national programme exploring stronger local decision- making. Community Empowerment Act Review (2025): Early recommendations call for more streamlined accountability, stronger policy coherence, and better partnership working.
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30 smoothly. This makes it even more important that locality planning works well, makes the best use of everyone’s time, and keeps focused on tackling inequalities. Locality Planning 2.0 – What’s Changing? Next steps to implement the recommendations will include: • Upskilling cross service Council officers in the purpose and methods of Locality Planning. • Launching the next phase of locality planning with Community and Locality Planning Partners and communities. • Working with the Locality Partnership Senior Officers Group to further develop and embed the proposed changes with partners. • Further developing the profile of locality planning through corporate communications channels, including a focus on reporting on progress against locality priorities. •The “Team Around the Partnership” will be better supported. •Locality Networks will be strengthened so they can play a bigger role in setting and delivering priorities. •More training and support will be offered for members and partners. Better Support for Partnerships •Locality Partnerships will have the option to start with a quick decision-making session, then move on to discussions on key local priorities. •Community reps (Vice Chairs) will help shape agendas, keeping meetings focused on what matters locally. •Less time will be spent on long updates – with new ways introduced to share information more effectively. Meetings Made Easier •Every partnership will use their locality plan as the main tool for tracking progress and driving action. •Plans will clearly link local priorities with wider council and national aims, including reducing inequalities and supporting Community Wealth Building. Locality Plans at the Centre •A review of grant funding is taking place to make the process simpler and fairer for community groups. •Updated guidance and support will help applicants put in stronger bids. •As CIF funding comes to a natural end, we’ll work with communities on new ways to fund and deliver local projects together. Community Investment Fund (CIF)
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31 9. Locality Profiles 2024/25 Arran Locality Partnership Since its inception in 2016, locality planning on Arran has seen significant progress. The Arran Locality Partnership has developed strong connections with the Health and Social Care Partnership, leading to a more unified approach to addressing the needs of the island's residents. In recent years, the focus of the Arran Locality Partnership has shifted towards aligning its initiatives with the Arran Local Island Plan. This alignment enhances how North Ayrshire Council tailors its services to better support the objectives outlined in the Arran Plan. In 2021, the Arran Locality Partnership adopted the key themes of the Arran Island Plan after engaging extensively with the public. This ensures that locality planning continues to reflect the island’s distinctive priorities. The partnership is now exploring ways for North Ayrshire Council to customise its services specifically for Arran residents, reinforcing the overarching goals of the Arran Plan. This ongoing evolution is a sign of the commitment to providing joined-up, responsive community planning that truly addresses Arran’s specific needs Arran Locality Priorities Communities Economy Environment During 2024/25 Arran Locality Partnership: Awarded £2,841 In Grant Funding Appointed a new Chair and continued to strengthen the connection between the Locality Partnership and Island Plan activities Named 1 street for new housing development on the Island
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32 Key discussion themes during 2024/25 Partnership focuses for 2025/26 Strengthen alignment of the Partnership and Island Plan work Continue to support and promote Arran, the Island Plan and its Sub-groups Implement changes from the Review of Locality Planning enhancing Community Engaement and Support Local Economic Resilience Further enhance partnership working
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33 Garnock Valley Locality Partnership The Garnock Valley is made up of several vibrant towns and villages, including Kilbirnie, Dalry, Kilwinning, Gateside, Burnhouse, Longbar, and Greenhills. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a significant hub of industry, with manufacturing sectors such as textiles, furniture-making, silk scarf and leather production, weaving, iron and steel, foundry work, coal mining, and brickmaking playing a central role in the area’s development. During a wide-ranging public engagement in 2021, the community confirmed that the priorities first established in 2016 remained relevant. Guided by this feedback, the Partnership has continued to build on these priorities. To help maintain momentum, subgroups have been formed for each priority area, providing quarterly progress updates to the Locality Partnership. Garnock Valley Locality Priorities Moving Around Work & The Local Community Facilities & Amenities During 2023/24 Garnock Valley Locality Partnership: 2 Streets Named for new housing development in Kilbirnie. Awarded £15,846 In Grant Funding. Awarded £106,000 Community Investment Funding.
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34 Key discussion themes for 2024/25 Partnership focuses for 2025/26 Progress of the Garnock Valley Place Plan Supporting Community Initaitves Enhancing Partnership Working Progress the work of the Garnock Valley Place Plan and Travel Needs Analysis Explore what actions from the Local Place Plan that Partnership can take forward Enhancing Community Health and Wellbeing through the CHES work
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35 Irvine Locality Partnership The Irvine Locality Partnership includes the central town of Irvine and the nearby villages of Springside, Dreghorn, and Drybridge. The town's scenic harbour area reflects its rich industrial history and is home to the National Maritime Museum. Irvine's beach serves as a year-round natural resource for locals and visitors alike, promoting health and activity within the community. The residents of Irvine and its surrounding villages form dynamic, engaged communities that collaborate to ensure inclusivity and support for all, fostering unity and shared goals. In 2021, an extensive public engagement initiative revealed that the community felt the priorities established in 2017 needed updating due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. To address this, the Locality Team hosts chit chat events across each of the community settlements in Irvine to discuss issues relating to the priorities and how the Partnership can provide support. Irvine Locality Priorities Supporting Skills and Work Opportunities Alleviating Poverty Enhancing our Mental Health & Wellbeing Championing Green Health and the Natural Environment During 2024/25 Irvine Locality Partnership: Awarded £52,261.02 In Grant Funding. Awarded £49,500 Community Investment Funding.
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36 Enhancing Community Infrastructures Progressing Actions from the Locality Plan Enhancing Local Investment Enhance Community Health and Wellbeing through the CHES work Implement changes from the Review of Locality Planning Refresh Locality Action Plan based on changes from review. Key discussion themes during 2024/25 Partnership Focuses for 2025/26
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37 Kilwinning Locality Partnership Kilwinning is a vibrant town in North Ayrshire, situated along the River Garnock just north of Irvine. It has a rich heritage as a hub for weaving, coal mining, and ironworks, industries that played a major role in Scotland’s industrial development. In the 20th century, Kilwinning was incorporated into Scotland’s last New Town initiative, further cementing its role as an economic and cultural centre. In 2021, a comprehensive public engagement exercise was undertaken to reassess local priorities in light of the pandemic. The feedback highlighted that the priorities established in 2017 required updating to better reflect the community’s evolving needs and challenges. Kilwinning Locality Priorities Supporting Skills and Work Improving Our Local Environment Alleviating Poverty and Promoting Equity of Access to Opportunities Improving Community Wellbeing During 2024/25 Kilwinning Locality Partnership: Awarded £42,494.82 In Grant Funding. Awarded £25,000 Community Investment Funding. 3 Streets Named for new housing developments in Kilwinning
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38 The review of Locality Planning Community Investment and Support Community Engagement Implement changes from the Review of Locality Planning Quarterly meetings to be thematically aligned with the locality’s agreed priorities Rejuventate the Locality Networks Key discussions Topics for 2024/25 Partnership focuses for 2025/26
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39 North Coast and Cumbraes Locality Partnership The North Coast Locality encompasses the island of Cumbrae and the picturesque seaside towns of Largs, Fairlie, Skelmorlie, and West Kilbride. Largs, the largest town, is a traditional seaside resort offering a wide range of amenities and activities for visitors, including ferry services to Cumbrae for exploration. While Fairlie, Skelmorlie, and West Kilbride are smaller, they each boast excellent amenities such as restaurants, shops, and scenic rural walks. The seafront at Seamill features a long sandy beach, and the charming harbour at Portencross offers stunning views. In 2021, a comprehensive public engagement initiative was carried out to reassess community priorities in response to the pandemic, providing valuable insights that guided the development of refreshed targeted priorities. Cumbrae also has its own Island Plan focused on three key themes: Community, Economy, and Environment, which will guide the future development of the island. North Coast and Cumbraes Locality Priorities Improving Access to Financial Services Increasing Social Inclusion Improving Mental Wellbeing Supporting Skills and Work Opportunities During2024/25 North Coast & Cumbraes Locality Partnership: Awarded £19,190.35 In Grant Funding. Awarded £176,865 Community Investment Funding.
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40 Social Inclusion and Community Support Driving local Infrastructure and Environmental Sustainability Growing Local Economic and Funding Opportunities Key discussion themes during 2024/25 Partnership focuses for 2025/26 Implement changes from the Review of Locality Planning Support the work of the Cumbrae Island Plan Thematic quarterly meetings and focusing on child poverty
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41 Three Towns Locality Partnership The Three Towns, Ardrossan, Saltcoats, and Stevenston are vibrant communities located on the scenic North Ayrshire coast. Their beautiful landscapes and coastal charm make them popular destinations for both leisure and tourism. Together, the Three Towns offer a wide variety of attractions. Notable sites include Clyde Marina, the historic ruins of Ardrossan Castle, the Arran ferry service at Ardrossan Harbour with convenient rail and bus links, Auchenharvie Leisure Centre and Golf Club, Ardeer Golf Club, Ardeer Quarry Local Nature Reserve, and the ancient remains of Kerelaw Castle. In 2021, the community participated in an extensive engagement exercise to consider local needs following the pandemic. The valuable feedback gathered provided important insights into shifting priorities among residents, resulting in a refreshed focus for future plans Three Towns Locality Priorities Promoting the Local Economy & Tourism Regenerating Community Facilities Increasing Civic Pride and Community Engagement Improving Community Wellbeing During 2024/25 the Three Towns Locality Partnership: Awarded £66,111.26 In Grant Funding. Awarded £ 207,890 Community Investment Funding.
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42 Investment in local assets Boosting Community Wellbeing and Inclusion Enhancing Partnership Working Priorities Key Discussion Topics for the Partnership during 2024/25 Partnership focuses for 2025/26 Implement changes from the Review of Locality Planning Enhance Community Health and Wellbeing through the CHES work Maximising the impacts of community funding
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43 Local Child Poverty Statistics 2025, shows encouraging signs for North Ayrshire. The analysis shows the child poverty level (after housing costs) in North Ayrshire reduced from 29.2% in 2022-23 to 24.3% in 2023-24. This is against national averages of 24% and 23% respectively. There has been £1,079,805.25 in grants and funding invested in North Ayrshire Communities through local grant making and the Community Investment Fund since the inception of Locality Planning in North Ayrshire in 2016 . Since the start of the CIF fund in 2017/18, funding of £3.,769,858.04 has been invested in the area through our Locality Partnerships totalling over £4.8m of support for our communites. “The council works effectively with a wide range of partners including the CPP, the IJB and private business. There is joint ownership of, and commitment to delivering agreed strategic priorities. The Council Plan, the Local Outcome Improvement Plan and local community plans are all clearly aligned and focussed on addressing North Ayrshire's key challenges.” Best Value Assurance Report 2020 "CLD practices and principles are embedded within the work of the North Ayrshire Council and the Community Planning Partnership (CPP)...The CLD plan reflects both council and local outcomes improvement plan priorities...Shared aims and objectives are evident in partnership groups such as Locality Planning Partnerships (LPPs) and work is driven by council, CPP and local priorities. Senior leaders, the CLD service and partners have a clear commitment to partnership working with the communities they serve...Third sector and community representatives are well represented across community planning structures and feel heard and valued." Community Learning and Development Progress Visit Report 2023 10. Our Impact While this report highlights the Community Planning Partnership's work and achievements in 2024/25, it's important to recognise the wider journey we've taken together as a partnership over the last decade. As we look to the future, these experiences and achievements provide a valuable context for understanding the current focus of the CPP.
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44 11. The Year Ahead Some of our key focuses for 2025/26 are outlined below: For further information about any of the above please contact us at communityplanning@north-ayrsire.gov.uk Implementation of Locality Planning Review Implementing Local Governance Review findings North Ayrshire CPP Conference 25/26 Increased pan- Ayrshire working Local grants and funding review Continue bulding CPP Child Poverty focus
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45 12. Tell us your views Please take a few minutes to tell us what you think about the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership Annual Report by completing our survey online: https://forms.office.com/e/jArtnqVE92 Alternatively, you can email us at: communityplanning@north-ayrshire.gov.uk with any questions or comments. Thank you!