Supplementary Agenda Document Pack - Community Planning Board - 04/03/2025
Moray Council · 4 March 2025
Back to Community Planning Board — 4 March 2025 and its agenda
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Community Planning Board Tuesday, 04 March 2025 SUPPLEMENTARY AGENDA The undernoted reports have been added to the agenda for the meeting of the Community Planning Board to be held at Committee Room, Council Office, High Street, Elgin, IV30 1BX on Tuesday, 04 March 2025 at 14:00. BUSINESS 3a. Locality Plans Update - Buckie and New Elgin Report by Depute Chief Executive (Education, Communities and Organisational Development), Moray Council 3 - 8 Any person attending the meeting who requires access assistance should contact customer services on 01343 563217 in advance of the meeting. Page 1
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THE MORAY COUNCIL Community Planning Board SEDERUNT Dr Adam Coldwells (Chair) Councillor Kathleen Robertson (Depute Chair) Mr George Burgess (Member) Councillor Sandy Keith (Member) Councillor Scott Lawrence (Member) Ms Jackie Maclaren (Member) Mr Gavin Miles (Member) Mr Grant Moir (Member) Mr John Mundell (Member) Councillor Bridget Mustard (Member) Mr David Reid (Member) Mr Dennis Robertson (Member) Ms Claire Sim (Member) Chief Superintendent Kate Stephen (Member) Mrs Susan Webb (Member) Ms Caroline Webster (Member) Mr Andrew Wright (Member) Councillor Amber Dunbar (Outside Body Appointee) Gp Capt Sarah Brewin (Non-Voting Member) Ms Sarah Medcraf (Non-Voting Member) Lt Col James Walker (Non-Voting Member) Page 2
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REPORT TO: COMMUNITY PLANNING BOARD TUESDAY 4 MARCH 2025 SUBJECT: LOCALITY PLANS UPDATE - BUCKIE & NEW ELGIN BY: DEPUTE CHIEF EXECUTIVE (EDUCATION, COMMUNITIES AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT), MORAY COUNCIL 1. REASON FOR REPORT 1.1. To provide the Community Planning Board (CPB) with an update on Locality Planning in Buckie and New Elgin and to reaffirm their support for both locality plan priorities. 2. RECOMMENDATION 2.1. It is recommended that the Board note the ongoing progress being made in the two LOIP priority areas and reaffirm its commitment to promote partnership working at all levels to address the priorities in the New Elgin and Buckie locality plans as outlined in Para 3.6. 3. BACKGROUND 3.1. The CPB made a long-term commitment to address inequality of outcomes in two localities (Buckie East and New Elgin) and there has been considerable progress made in both communities as we approach the mid-point of that ten- year period. 3.2. Following the Scottish Community Development Centre report “Supporting place-based approaches in Moray” presented to the Community Planning Board on 2 February 2022, (Paragraph 4 of the minute refers) it was agreed that reporting on Localities work would be done through the CLD Strategic Group with an annual report on progress made in the New Elgin and Buckie localities being presented to the CPB identifying three priorities for future development and requests for additional input/support from the CPB. This paper fulfils that function. 3.3. Poverty analysis conducted in 2024 by Research Information Officers in Moray Council alongside the Improvement Service analysed poverty data from both national and local sources. By using Intermediate Datzones the research took account of all smaller data zones in the geography. New Elgin East placed second and Buckie Central East fourth, out of a total of twenty-four intermediate zones. The area which showed the highest level of need was Elgin Cathedral to Item 3a. Page 3
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Ashgrove and Pinefield. The Pinefield area of New Elgin has been incorporated into the target audience for the new community hub facility in New Elgin – therefore the data shows a strong correlation of need back to the two LOIP communities as defined by the people living there. 3.4. Buckie Plan- the themes for Buckie remain. • Welfare and Wellbeing (improving the wellbeing of our community) • Place (the community of Buckie will be resilient and inclusive where people have access to the facilities and services they need) and • Economy (the community of Buckie will have improved access to employment opportunities) 3.4.1. Key achievements in Buckie over the last year include: - • Findochty and Buckie Development Trust (FAB DT) have amended their Constitution to make them an eligible group to lead on a CAT application. • Successful funding has been applied for and awarded to Buckie Area Forum to continue the service delivered from The Hub at 17 East Church Street Buckie. The volunteer led group initially secured core cost funding from the Local Action Group, and this has been continued for 2025 through Mental Health and Wellbeing funding (both sources administered through tsiMORAY). • Key groups in the community have been nurtured and grown by the Monitoring Group and Locality Plan. Findochty and Buckie Development Trust (FAB DT) was born from an identified need for this type of structure in the community. This group is now the lead for the successful community lunch project which continues to attract over one hundred people every month. FAB DT is also the lead to establish a multi-purpose community hub in the town as well as being an active partner in the existing Hub project. • Successful funding secured to employ an external consultant to conduct a Scoping Report to consider the need for a multi-purpose Community Hub in Buckie. • Successful funding secured to employ an external consultant to conduct an Options Appraisal on suitable premises for a multi-purpose Community Hub in Buckie to meet a key need identified in the Buckie Locality Plan. 3.4.2. The Monitoring Group in Buckie have worked hard to both initiate and deliver on the establishment of the Hub and have been able to pull together funding to cover the costs of the current provision and to conduct initial studies on suitable premises for a larger building (with a former bank building being the favoured option). 3.4.3. There is a sense of frustration and a perception from the group that they have been unable to access monies such as those which became Page 4
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available for the New Elgin pilot when the ‘ask’ to the Board last year was around supporting both Localities. There is a risk that this frustration will manifest itself in a reduction of volunteers willing to sustain what is delivered from the Buckie Hub and in progressing their plans. 3.4.4. Feedback from the Monitoring Group (comprising community volunteers from a variety of organisations including Buckie and District Community Council, Buckie Area Forum, Buckie’s Roots, The Friendship Club, The Job Club, and Findochty and Buckie Development Trust) is that they continue to appreciate the support from Moray Council, via the Community Support Unit, but they feel there is a need for a sustained level of engagement from other Departments and Community Planning partners as collectively agreed in the LOIP.The Monitoring Group are currently working on an event to bring community stakeholders together and will then be organising an additional sessions for partners from the CPP bodies – with a desired outcome to ensure that appropriate CPP Leads are allocated to the priorities within this Plan. 3.4.5. The Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) are currently completing work on a second phase of the research mentioned in 3.2 and will be reporting that back in February 2025 focussing on the contribution of partners to addressing priorities in both locality plans. 3.5. New Elgin - the plan now covers both East and West areas of New Elgin. There are four themes. • Better off (seeking to improve income maximisation, aspirations through quality accessible learning and training) • Better community (seeking to improve community networks via more groups and community resources) • Better Place (seeking to improve the physical environment and spaces) • Better Health (seeking to improve mental and physical health) 3.5.1. Work on the New Elgin East Community Plan (N.E.E.C.P) has continued over the last year with a focus on engaging families and addressing many of the underlying concerns of the plan. Issues such as lack of community meeting spaces, access to support, decent paying jobs, childcare, access to free / affordable family resources, opportunities to improve physical and mental health (including substance use) youth resources etc have remained. Developments such as the new Youth Club developed as part of a Strategic Equity Funded project at New Elgin Primary School demonstrate that partnership work is happening in the locality to address these issues (in this case involving the school, CLD and Active Schools Young Volunteers). 3.5.2. Better Off - With significant support from partners in the Better Off group and stakeholders such as Mum Days and Moray School Bank, work has continued to grow with families coming together for socialising Page 5
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and activities. A successful summer programme of free family fun sessions culminated in a mini festival event at Thornhill Pitches that saw over one hundred people taking part in a colour walk. A few of the families who have been attending these have shown an interest in getting involved in the planning and organising future activities for themselves. 3.5.3. Better Place - In terms of the Better Place objectives, partners and stakeholders are now supporting a fledgling group “Project Play” comprising of parents from the wider New Elgin area. This group aims to improve play park areas and bring additional recreational resources including improving safety in the parks, seating benches and ideally an outdoor gym. 3.5.4. Better Community / Health - As mentioned, most of the aspirations of the plan are still at the developmental stage. As reported last year, there was a severe lack of places to meet and develop opportunities and relationships with the community. It is therefore of great significance that the drive from Moray Pathways with CLD, successfully secured funding from Moray Council to lease Unit 3, Southfield Road for a year (now known as The Link after feedback at the Open Day). This new facility officially opened on 30 November 2024. 3.5.5. The Link is currently open five mornings a week for informal drop-in sessions and a wide range of taster sessions and activities have taken place. Residents play a key role in the steering group that is developing the Link as a local community centre with the pool of local volunteers growing. Local people/groups are leading sessions such as a Monday afternoon parents drop-in and a ‘Knit and Knatter’ Craft Group. Partners such as the CLD Adult and Family Learning Team are delivering adult learning sessions with a Driving Test Theory course in the pipeline. Colleagues in Housing are planning to use the space as a safe meeting place for new tenants moving to the area. A new eight-week creative horizons youth group to help unleash creativity in young people of secondary school age is about to start. The Link is starting to make links across the community. 3.5.6. The current lease for the premises is funded through Moray Pathways with potential Elgin Town Board funding beyond that, though this funding is currently under review. The need for a community space has been consistent from the start of the work in New Elgin and securing a longer lease term would allow the community space to become more established as a space where groups can form and overcome the lack of cohesiveness, belonging and identity as well as being empowered to secure the resources they want and need. 3.5.7. This community space opportunity is a breakthrough for the community - as well as the plan This is reflected in the ‘three asks’ outlined below. 3.6. The three ‘asks’ to the Board are … 3.6.1. That the CPP Board reaffirms its commitment to promote partnership working at all levels to address the place based priorities in the New Elgin and Buckie locality plans and to ensure officers working in these Page 6
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areas from their respective organisations are clear of the priority of the plan within the LOIP and respond actively to requests for information and support. 3.6.2. As per last years ‘ask ‘there is once again a request that consideration is given to support the Buckie Hub in their plans to develop a community owned hub. 3.6.3. That the Board reaffirms its commitment to remove barriers and to work collaboratively to maintain sustainable hubs in both Buckie and New Elgin where CPP partners can work together to address issues of poverty and inequality in both areas. 4. SUMMARY OF IMPLICATIONS 4.1. The Localities work sits under the auspices of the Community Planning Partnership and is central to the CPP Community Engagement Strategy. The three ‘asks’ in this paper relate to the shared commitment of the CPP to respond collectively to the issues that have been identified. 5. CONCLUSION 5.1. The Board is asked to consider the recommendation in section 2.1 and reiterate their ongoing support for the Localities work in Buckie and New Elgin. Author of Report: K McDermott Background Papers: Ref: Page 7
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