FIFE COUNCIL
West Fife Area Services Committee
21st December 2006
Agenda Item No. 4
WEST FIFE VILLAGES
COMMUNITY PLAN ACTIONS REPORT
1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
This report highlights work being undertaken in the West Fife
Villages locality 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 examples of current activity.
2.0
BACKGROUND
2.1
This report was considered initially at the Locality Meeting on 1st
December 2006. 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
A STRONGER, MORE FLEXIBLE AND DIVERSE ECONOMY
3.1
Kincardine Multi-Storey Flats Update
Partners:– Housing, Local Services Network, WFV’s Regeneration Group,
Communities Scotland (Contributed by Karen Gubby, Housing Services)
The Consultants Weedon Grand and Jefferson Sheard are currently
pulling together the final pieces of information that they need to complete
the report.
After this has been done (over the next couple of months) and the internal
Officers Group has signed off the report, the findings will be discussed with
Local Elected Members of the West Fife Villages Regeneration Group then
the Steering Group. After this discussion has taken place a consultation
event will be set up with local residents.
On current timescales it is expected that the final report goes to Committee
for approval to proceed with the preferred option early in 2007. This is
later than had been previously expected but it is taking time to pull
together the necessary information in order for the Council to make an
informed decision as to how to proceed.
Council Officers have been working hard to make sure that the report
findings are robust and that any recommendations made can be carried
out. It has taken time to fully investigate the deliverability of all the options
but we want to be sure that we have a workable solution for tenants, the
wider community and the Council.
4.0
IMPROVING HEALTH AND WELLBEING IN FIFE
4.1
The Youth Ski Project
Partners: - Fife Community Safety Partnership, Big Lottery Fund, NHS Fife,
Communities Scotland, Community Services, Education, Police and the Local
Services Network.
The 2006/07 Youth Ski Project will cost £34k. The Regeneration Outcome
Agreement (ROA), Fife Community Safety Partnership and Local Services
Network are the funding providers.
In July 2006, this project was extended to include Queen Anne High
School students. This special year is currently being funded by The Fife
Community Safety Partnership and the Local Services Network. This
subsidised ‘After School’ skiing has found that many youngsters who have
had to discontinue their ski-ing activities because they were financially
excluded are now able to return to this sport. So much so, that double the
youngsters (80) are now travelling each week to Hillend Ski Centre in
Edinburgh.
This subsidised ‘After School’ skiing means that 8 extra ‘feeder’ primary
schools from West Fife will now be included, these are McLean,
Milesmark, Pittencrief, Crossford, Bellyeoman, Townhill, Wellwood,
Limekilns and Commercial. This opportunity will also enable youngsters
from Cairneyhill, Carnock, Inzievar, Blairhall, Saline, Comrie, Torryburn,
Newmills and Culross to continue with their skiing activities and will
provide the opportunity to pursue qualified ski instructors certificates and
access skiing opportunities abroad. It should be noted that many of the
youngsters attending Queen Anne High School seek and obtain work in
order to fund and access this After School skiing activity.
There are now five former pupils of Queen Anne High School who have
gone on to become fully qualified instructors some into full time
employment. One ex student teaches at Hillend Ski Centre and will be a
paid instructor to these youngsters when they visit Italy in February 2007.
On the 29th of October Queen Anne High School competed in the Scottish
Race finals at Hillend and it is only one of five ‘social schools’ in Scotland
that competes in this event. The ladies race team qualified and they
travelled to Wales to compete in the British finals on the 18th November.
The team came 14th out of 28 teams competing and one sixth year skier
was 3rd Scottish girl. All completed a difficult course and each improved
their time on the second run.
Over the next few months the opportunity to go ski-ing will, hopefully, be
offered to St Columba’s High School. Thus enabling many of the children
from Holy Name RC Primary School in Oakley and St Serf’s RC Primary
School in High Valleyfield to continue ski-ing. This will also provide the
opportunity for other primary schools in the West to participate e.g. St
Margaret’s, St Johns, St Joseph’s, St Kenneth’s and St Bride’s.
It is estimated that in 2007/08 over 2,400 youngsters will participate in
‘After School’ and ‘During School’ hours skiing sessions at Firpark and
Hillend Ski Centres.
The Marketing and Promotion of the 2004-08 Youth Ski Project will be
showcased through the following methods:o
o
o
o
o
2004/06 Video Diary – Primary Schools
2006/07 Video Diary – (Queen Anne High School)
The project was promoted in the Spring quarterly edition of
‘FifeLife’
Presented to the Fife Rural Partnership on the 29th September
2006.
2006/08 Video Diary ( both participating Primary & High Schools)
The project will be showcased on the Local Government Health
Improvement Programme Web site at –
www.healthscotland.com/localgovernment
The West Fife Villages Youth Ski Project Evaluation Report 2004 – 2006 is
now completed. It contains many positive comments on this ski-ing project
from both Primary and High School Teachers as well as many of the
youngsters who have participated in the Youth Ski Programme. Copies of
this report are available from ray.wood@fife.gov.uk
5.0
A WELL-EDUCATED AND SKILLED FIFE
5.1
The Travelling Gallery - Scottish Arts Council – Edinburgh
(Partners:- Scottish Arts Council, Creative Links Team, Transportation Services
and Local Service Network)
Amardeep Rai works as a Cultural Co-ordinator for the Creative Links
Team in Fife. They work to promote creative and cultural opportunities for
children and young people across Fife through teachers and education
providers.
Amardeep contacted me recently about a touring exhibition that will travel
across Scotland up until December 2006. The Travelling Gallery is an onthe-move art exhibition showcased on a custom built bus and as such is
able to provide children and young people with a valuable opportunity to
view and experience contemporary art.
Their current exhibition is called ‘Jagged-edged’, which is a show by
contemporary artists who use a diverse range of materials from traditional
paper cut out to digital technology to make collages. This is an inspiring
exhibition for children and young people to view and it is something that
teachers could follow on in the classroom.
The Travelling Gallery only has 10 free artist led educational events to
offer during its 16-week tour. I am pleased to say that the Travelling
Gallery will be visiting Blairhall, Culross, Saline and Torryburn Primary
Schools on the 11th 12th and 13th of December 2006. These primary
school children will be able to participate in practical workshops. They will
have the wonderful opportunity to expand on the ideas brought to light in
the exhibition ‘Jaggy-Edge’ thus enhancing the gallery visit and making the
whole experience a more enlightening and enjoyable one.
Overnight secure parking for the Travelling Gallery vehicle during the tour
of the West Fife Villages was kindly provided by the Transportation Section
at Milesmark Depot in Dunfermline.
The Travelling Gallery’s website if you would like more information on the
exhibition is :- www.travellinggallery.com/
5.2
Family Learning – High Valleyfield
Partners:- Education, Local Services Network, Community Services and Lauder
College
This project has been so successful that Culross Primary School is now in
partnership with Torryburn and St Serf’s primary schools. These primary
school children will come together along with a parent, grandparent or
family member to High Valleyfield Computer Suite in the Community
Centre to learn and work together on a themed school project.
The project will run for another 12 weeks each Wednesday and Friday
afternoon at the beginning of the new school term (October). This project
has provided a valuable new learning experience for both children and
adults. It has also provided the opportunity for adults to progress into other
adult learning opportunities and it has encouraged family learning at home
and promoted social inclusion.
6.0
SAFEGUARDING AND IMPROVING OUR ENVIRONMENT
6.1
The Green Map of the West Fife Villages
Partners:- The West Fife Villages Community Planning Group, The Local
Community, Education and Local Services Network
The West Fife Villages Community Planning Group will shortly be joining
the global family as part of the Green Map System. This system enables
people to work together towards a vision of a sustainable community as
well as creating an effective communication tool for the agencies that
support them.
Green Maps link people to places using visual icons representing the local
environment. The ancient art of mapmaking brings together all ages and
social groups within a given area allowing them to create a graphic picture
of their local community.
Drawing on local wisdom of what went on before and its links to the
present, the things that make life worthwhile are captured and shared on
the map. By creating a unique ‘graphic’ picture, the map locates icons
dealing with social, environmental, health and safety issues. Green Maps
promote strategies and skills that help ordinary people exercise leadership
and enable them to act as citizens and consumers towards a more
healthily, economically viable and sustainable community.
The Community Planning Group is keen to hear the views of young people
and find out how they can support their needs, creating a safer
environment for them to play and go to school. The Green Map project will
help them to do this. The West Fife Villages Community Group will hold
Local Community Engagement Mapping workshops throughout all the
villages over the next few months.
To view the Community Planning Group web site (shortly to be linked into
Fifedirect ) go to:- http://www.westfifevillages.co.uk
7.0
STRENGTHENING OUR COMMUNITIES
7.1
Sighthill Library, Edinburgh success to be replicated in High
Valleyfield
Partners:- Local Services Network, Community Services (Libraries & Youth Work
staff), St Serf’s, Torryburn and Culross Primary Schools, The Local Community)
Sighthill Library in Edinburgh were the winners of the Local Government –
Outstanding Team of the year award this year. The library is now highly
valued by the local community and the amazing work of its staff has
changed it from a virtual war zone with youngsters having the place under
siege to a library where young people choose and review books, CD’s and
Websites for the library. The anti-social behaviour has ceased and the
library has now become the focus for a weekly round of activities that
genuinely seem to be improving literacy and inspiring local young people.
In July of this year, with the encouragement of the new Chief Executive, Mr
Ronnie Hinds, a visit to Sighthill library was made by the Locality Manager,
Service Manager for Libraries & Museums and six members of the Library
Service Team Fife wide.
All were so impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the staff at
Sighthill and with the remarkable changes that they had made to this small
library. It was decided by the Fife team to pilot, the first in Fife – a similar
project in High Valleyfield and Rosyth in the hope that if the pilots were
successful that the project would be ‘rolled out’ Fife wide.
The integration of the Local Services Network and High Valleyfield library
Staff into the Local Service Network Centre has provided the perfect
opportunity to make similar ground breaking changes. The internal
renovation of the Local Services Centre will have the input of the local
primary school children from High Valleyfield, Torryburn and Culross.
Local Youth groups in High Valleyfield will also be consulted on the interior
and external design of the building as will the local community. It is widely
known locally that the young people of High Valleyfield were very
disappointed when the mining mural on the Co-op wall was removed due
to an extension to the Co-op building. They were also disappointed when
the Co-op would not allow them to replicate the mining memorial mural on
the new building.
The Local Services Centre will provide the young people of High
Valleyfield with the opportunity to emulate the original mining mural on its
building and local youth groups will be consulted widely and assisted in
making this goal possible.
7.2
Fife Communities to Boost Aid for Needy Children this
Christmas
Partners :- Fife Local Communities, Local Services Network (Contributed by Chris
Thomson, National Co-ordinator Scotland, Samaritan’s Purse International Relief)
Operation Christmas Child, the Christian relief project, is launching its
2006 appeal in Fife to deliver gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children in
Eastern Europe and Africa.
Operation Christmas Child delivered over 1.1 million shoeboxes to children
last year, including 1,000 from Fife and is aiming to beat that total this
year. As one of the UK’s biggest annual charity events, the Operation
Christmas Child charity is calling on schools, churches, organisations and
individuals throughout Fife to build on the help that they gave in 2005.
Communities in Cupar, Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, St Andrews,
Cowdenbeath, Burntisland and the West Fife Villages contributed to the
area’s total. The gift filled boxes were then processed at the charity’s
Glasgow for export to Romania and Kyrgyzstan. The gift filled boxes this
year will be processed for transfer to Glasgow at Kincardine Community
Hall, Kincardine Multi Storey Flats during November and December with
local volunteers. This resource has been provided by the Local Services
Network for one month under ‘Support in Kind’. The aim of Support in
Kind is to provide support and resources to voluntary organisations which
are additional to the Council’s core responsibilities and normal service
provision.
Anyone wishing to participate in the Operation Christmas Child 2006
appeal should log on to www.samaritanspurse.uk.com/ or contact the
helpline on 0870 011 2002
8.0
MAKING COMMUNITIES SAFER
8.1
Kincardine Local Office
Partners :- Police, Local Services Network (Contributed by Inspector Douglas
Goldie)
Plans are well under way to purchase the old the Local Services Centre on
the High Street in Kincardine to be utilised as a Police call point. The idea
of this is to increase the visible Police presence on the High Street. To
provide a more convenient location for public access and to utilise the
office for the existing and successful joint Police/Councillor surgeries which
at present, take place within a Police Community Access Vehicle.
A price has been fixed and our surveyors have been in to see if the cost of
any renovation work can be carried out in house or whether it needs to go
out to tender. Our IT technicians have also visited to ascertain what work
they are required to do in respect of telephones and computers.
One of my own goals is to increase public contact by having the call point
open for business on a part time basis, possibly two or three half days per
week. I am actively looking for local volunteer support staff who could be
trained by my existing Station Assistant in the same way that we trained
Newmills Post Office Staff, to carry out Police business. This will greatly
depend on the Health and Safety survey, which will establish whether the
approved security screens can be installed.
At the same time, we are also looking for suitable CCTV systems to trial in
Kincardine for a three-month period. The cameras would be mounted and
powered on existing lamp standards and would be hidden within a smoked
glass dome. The CCTV system is light and mobile and could be used in
other villages on a rotational basis. Locals would not be aware of the
absence of the camera. The cameras would not be connected to the
monitoring room at Fife Contact Centre. But would be a stand alone
system which would send a radio signal to a digital recorder which could
be located within the new call point and be reviewed after an incident to
gather evidence. The deterrent value alone would be worth the cost. I
have been on a site visit with Martin Bamford and Stuart Ward from our
Crime Reduction Department and Stuart will soon provide some costings.
8.2
Alco-Dip Test Kit introduced to the West
Partners :- Police & Local Services Network (Contributed by Inspector Douglas
Goldie)
Officers in the Western Division are being issued with alcohol testing kits
as part of the Safer Scotland crackdown on drink-fuelled violence on the
streets of Scotland.
Safer Scotland had originally funded and distributed Alco-dip kits to all
Scottish forces. The kits comprise of a single test strip in a sealed sachet
and a small plastic cup. They let officers take action against under-age
drinkers and street drinkers who are drinking from bottles not labelled as
containing alcohol.
Sergeant Derek Simpson from the Safer Scotland co-ordination unit
explained: ‘Officers routinely find groups of people – mainly young people
– congregating and drinking from containers, usually fizzy drink bottles.
However, officers have no way of telling if they contain alcohol. The Alcodip test kits give a simple positive or negative indication of the strength of
alcohol, from an evidential point of view. The Alco-dip test kit provides an
officer with reasonable grounds to suspect that a person is in possession
of alcohol or consuming alcohol.’
With the kits officers can deal with alcohol related offences on the street in
a more positive way, confident that the liquid they are dealing with contains
alcohol. This also helps to reduce complaints against the police by
alleviating the possibility of making a mistake.
Due to the obvious benefits of these kits, it was decided to use Community
Safety Funding with additional match funding from Local Services Network
Locality Managers. To purchase a quantity for use in the Western Division
after the Safer Scotland funded kits ran out.
9.0
Local Community Planning Budget
9.1
It was agreed at the Locality Meeting held in Blairhall on the 22nd
September that the following projects would be funded from the Local
Community Planning Budget.
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Carnock to Gowkhall Footpath
B9037 Road Corridor Improvements
Preston Street Recreation and Garden Project
Cairneyhill Bus Stop Improvements
Small Projects List
Please see Appendix 1 for details.
10.0
RECOMMENDATIONS
10.1
Members are asked to comment on the local community planning actions
contained in this report.
Graeme McRoberts
Head of Local Services
Contact:
Ray Wood
Locality Manager
West Fife Villages
14th December 2006