FIFE COUNCIL
West Area Services Committee
21st October 2004
Agenda Item No. 4(b)
BENARTY & KELTY LOCALITIES
COMMUNITY PLAN ACTIONS REPORT
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
This report highlights work being undertaken in the Benarty and Kelty
localities under the themes of Fife's Community Plan. The report has
been compiled with the assistance and participation of a range of
partner agencies.
1.2
An on-going mapping exercise has enabled partnership activity being
undertaken in the locality to be identified and reported. This report
profiles some examples of current activity.
2.0
BACKGROUND
2.1
This report has been considered initially at the joint Localities Meeting
on 6th September. These meetings have been established to improve
communications between Members and Officers and provide better
support to Locality Managers, in addition to allowing discussion on the
development of Community Planning at a local level.
3.0
MARTIN CRESCENT AREA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION (MCARA)
COMMUNITY GARDEN PROJECT
3.1
Background - This project epitomises the way Fife Council delivers
its services to the community. Community Planning Partners are
heavily involved in giving both advice and assistance in kind towards
the success of the project.
The four Data Zones in Ballingry all score highly in the Scottish Index
of Multiple Deprivation. Ballingry West, of which Martin Crescent is a
major part, has some of the highest levels of multiple deprivation. It is
4th of 453 Data Zones in Fife and 468th of 6505 in Scotland. It scores
particularly poorly in the Income, Employment, Education/Skills and
Health Domains.
Whilst the housing is in good condition, it has traditionally been difficult
to let due to the number of maisonettes/flats and the areas poor
reputation. However, housing voids have dramatically reduced since
MCARA was established, along with the recruitment of a Community
Caretaker based in the Community Flat that both operate from.
The project came about in response to the concerns of parents about
the state of play park and how isolated it was. Needles had been
found in and around the park (both Police and Community Caretaker
provided figures to verify this) As a result, the Community Garden
Project was started – a project which covers all of the community
planning themes.
Following concerns raised by members about the continuing
levels of deprivation in the area, it is recommended that the
Locality Manager invite representatives of the Fife Economic
Forum, Fife Health & Wellbeing Alliance and Fife Lifelong
Learning Partnership to future Locality Meetings to discuss how
strategic approaches are being used to remedy local problems.
3.2
A Stronger More Flexible & Diverse Economy - The use of the
FILM (Fife Intermediate Labour Market) mechanism, covered in more
detail in previous reports, will create opportunities for unemployed
people to receive training in skills for which there is known demand.
This will enhance participants’ employment prospects. Companies
tendering for work and their workforce will be Fife based or have
strong links with the Fife economy. This means that most expenditure
will remain in the Fife economy. At a more local level, business will
benefit from employee spend and other improvements in economic
performance from wider inclusion initiatives that the project contributes
to.
3.3
Strengthening Our Communities - It is intended that the project and
its outputs will be widely promoted with the aim of achieving a more
favourable perception of Benarty as a place to live, work and invest in.
The local newspaper, the “Central Fife Times”, is highly supportive
and committed to positive reporting. The “Courier” also has a good
record in supporting locally driven initiatives like this. The area’s raised
profile will remove a degree of stigma that impacts on people’s
employment prospects.
3.4
Improving Health & Well-being in Fife - The Benarty area has a
poor health record. This project will contribute to measures to address
this by encouraging outdoor pursuits and participation in community
life. It is felt that people with mental health problems will benefit while
a particular aim is to reduce the amount of alcohol and drug problems.
3.5
A Well-Educated & Skilled Fife - The community garden is seen as a
resource that can be used by local schools (each primary school will
have an area to cultivate and maintain) to develop children’s interests
in their community and its environment. An important local issue is the
number of single parents with low educational achievement and poor
domestic skills. MCARA will be working with FFOTRA to tackle this
and the community garden is seen as an area where initial contact
can be made with vulnerable people.
3.6
Making Communities Safer - This project originates in and has been
developed by MCARA. Achieving their proposals will be a major boost
to confidence in an area where this is low. This will demonstrate the
value of identifying solutions to problems along with partnership
working, encouraging new ideas on how important issues can be
addressed.
As has been stated before the safety aspect of the location of the play
park as it is now, was the driving force behind the project to move it to
a safer location. As a result of where it is situated at present there are
issues around drugs, solvent abuse and alcohol along with the
vandalism that these issues bring. Policing was all the more difficult as
offenders could escape over the farmer’s fields and was difficult for
the police to identify and catch offenders. The new location is ideal as
houses surround it and the whole community wants to be a part of it.
3.7
Safeguarding and Improving Our Environment - The proposals will
improve access for people with mobility difficulties but will also be an
area that can be enjoyed by people with mental health problems and
those with sensory impairments. The Local Office Initiative budget is
also being used to make more parking in the area, which will allow
people to park close by the disabled entrance to the community
garden along with easing congestion in the street.
4.0
BENARTY CARES
4.1
Strengthening Our Communities/Stronger, More Flexible &
Diverse Economy - This group has featured in previous reports, but
has now secured funding and is in a position to take on two
employees (a Development Worker and an Administrator). It is hoped
they will come from the Benarty area, depending on skills required to
do the job. It is also hoped to take on volunteers once the project gets
going and Benarty Cares hope that BRAG could play a part in their
training.
The group have also submitted a grant form under the Special
Projects Scheme, to allow training of the committee (accredited drugs
training recognised by all Funders) to take on the role of managing
both staff and the running of the local Community Centre in Lochore.
Again, Community Planning Partners are heavily involved in
supporting and giving help in kind to this worthwhile project. Special
mention must go to the DAAT, Community Services and Fife
Constabulary for their commitment to this initiative.
5.0
KELTY PARTNERSHIP
5.1
Strengthening Our Communities - This initiative is the driving force
behind the Master Plan for Kelty, which aims to link all development of
private housing, recreational facilities and the sale of any land owned
by Fife Council, to bring Kelty into the 21st Century.
Community Services have commissioned a feasibility study into what
Kelty needs to link the old with the new housing development taking
place, that will see Kelty expand from a village to a small town, once
completed.
All Community Planning Partners are involved and the Kelty
Development Group, whose membership is made up of Officers from
most of the Services of Fife Council, are there to help advise the
Partnership on any issues they require help with.
6.0
AREA CAPITAL ALLOCATION
6.1
This section will provide updates on previously approved projects:
 Ballingry Gateway - P & R approval for Compulsory Purchase
Order. Confirmation will determine timescales but proposals
agreed and ready for tendering. It is anticipated that work will start
early 2005.
 Kelty Community Garden - complete
 Blairadam Youth Project - Site now identified and facility to be
ordered and installed this financial year.
6.2
As previously agreed, the entire Area Capital Allocation for the
Kelty/Benarty/Cowdenbeath/Lochgelly Localities in 2004/05 was set
aside for FILM related projects. Updates will be provided via Locality
Meetings as these projects progress.
7.0
OTHER ISSUES
7.1
Rosewell Drive Area - Recognising that the needs of this area are
not only about housing improvements, the Locality Manager will bring
forward a progress report to the next meeting, once a number of other
initiatives are underway.
8.0
RECOMMENDATIONS
8.1
Members are asked to comment on the local community planning
actions contained in this report
8.2
Members are asked to note the progress of the Area Capital Allocation
funded projects in paragraph 6.1
8.3
Members are asked to endorse the recommendation in paragraph 3.1
that the Locality Manager invites representatives of the Fife Economic
Forum, Fife Health & Wellbeing Alliance and Fife Lifelong Learning
Partnership to future Locality Meetings to discuss how strategic
approaches are being used to remedy local problems.
8.4
Members are asked to note and support the actions being taken by
the Locality Manager to address the wider issues in the Rosewell
Drive area (see paragraph 7.1)
Sam Stewart
Locality Manager (Benarty & Kelty)
6 September 2004