Banff & Buchan Community Councils
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
This is the Community Plan for Banff & Buchan. It sets out the Banff & Buchan Community Planning Partnership’s main actions for the next four years. If you have difficulty understanding this document and require a translation, or would like a copy in a larger print, please contact the Banff & Buchan Area Manager, Malcolm McAuslin on 01261 813300. Cover photograph “Sandend Coffee Morning” reproduced by kind permission of Ian Flory, Original Light Throughburn House Main Street Ormiston East Lothian EH35 5HS www.originallight.com Contents Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership. 2 Banff & Buchan Community Plan 2010 – 2014. 4 1 Purpose of the Banff & Buchan Community Plan. 6 2 The Banff & Buchan Area . .8 3 Aims and Objectives. 11 4 Recent Achievements. 13 5 Timetable. 19 6 Actions and Priorities. 20 A Community Wellbeing. 20 B Jobs and the Economy . 28 C Lifelong Learning . 31 D Sustainable Environment. 36 E Developing our Partnership. 40 7 How are we Doing?. 43 8 Contact Us. 44 Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership Our vision is: Working together for the best quality of life for everyone in Aberdeenshire. Our Principles The partnership has developed six guiding principles, which we will use to test everything that we do. If something that we are planning as a partnership does not fit with these principles then we should not be doing it. The principles are: Inclusion We will ensure that our actions improve all Aberdeenshire citizens’ ability to access our services and will take account of all factors that create a barrier to this. We will do all that we can to ensure equal opportunities and will meet all national requirements on these. Accountability We will make ourselves answerable to the communities and people of Aberdeenshire and keep them informed of, and seek their views on, what we are doing. Partnership We will work together with our partners and the people of Aberdeenshire to achieve our vision and will encourage communities to recognise their important role in sharing in community planning work. Evidence-based We will ensure that our actions are based on clear evidence and information and are derived from what the community wants. Sustainability We will work to ensure that our actions meet the needs of the BANFF & current generation without compromising the ability of future BUCHAN generations to meet their own needs. COMMUNITY Efficiency We will aim to be as efficient as possible with resources and use PLAN them to provide as effective services as possible. 2010 – 2014 2 Commitment to Equalities Community planning involves working with all communities in Aberdeenshire. The Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership is aware that certain groups or individuals may be more disadvantaged or vulnerable for reasons such as age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religious or political beliefs or sexual orientation. We will strive to improve the quality of life for all people of Aberdeenshire and will do all that we can to ensure equal opportunities. Equalities Schemes Public bodies have a number of legal duties laid upon them in relation to various aspects of equality. A number of our partners have schemes in place. • Aberdeenshire Council Equalities Scheme • Grampian Fire and Rescue Service Race Equality Scheme, Gender Equality Scheme and Disability Equality Scheme • Grampian Police Single Equality Scheme • Nestrans Equality Scheme • NHS Grampian Race Equality Scheme and Disability Equality Scheme • Scottish Enterprise Equality Scheme • Skills Development Scotland Equality Scheme Community Engagement Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership has adopted a Community Engagement Strategy. The aim of the strategy is to support strong, active and inclusive communities that are both informed and involved in decision making. The strategy is also aimed at enabling partners to improve public services to enhance the quality of life for the residents of Aberdeenshire. The full document is available on the Community Planning website: www.ouraberdeenshire.org.uk/library BANFF & BUCHAN COMMUNITY PLAN 2010 – 2014 3 Banff & Buchan Community Plan 2010 – 2014 Welcome to the second Community Plan for Banff and Buchan. This Plan brings together the key actions and projects of a number of public agencies for the next four years. The vision of the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership is “Working together for the best quality of life for everyone in Aberdeenshire”. The actions within this Plan indicate how, by Partnership working, we can more ably deliver services and supports to the communities that make up Banff & Buchan. Over the last few years Partnership working has seen many achievements within the Banff and Buchan area and a large number of these are to be found within the “Recent Achievements” section of the Plan. We hope that with your support we will be able to build on these and also hope that, based on what has been achieved to date, you might want to let us have your ideas on new priorities that we should consider in the future. Many of the actions listed in the Plan stem from ideas and suggestions made by local communities at the various community engagement events held across the Banff and Buchan area during the course of 2009. We are aware that some of the actions in the Plan are aspirational and will only happen if a range of factors, including funding, can be brought together. It is our hope that by working together we can strive to turn at least some of these aspirations into reality. We hope that you will find the Plan interesting and easy to read. If you wish to discuss any of content of this document please do get in touch by telephone, e-mail or by writing to the address at the back of this Plan. We will be using this document to help us decide on future funding priorities and we do very much welcome your views. Recognition should be given to Community Planning Partners, communities and organisations for the time and effort which has gone into producing the Banff & Buchan Local Community Plan, my thanks to you all for your hard work. Malcolm McAuslin BANFF & Chair, Banff & Buchan BUCHAN Community Planning Group COMMUNITY PLAN 2010 – 2014 4 BANFFBANFF && BUCHANBUCHAN BUCHAN COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY PLANPLANAREA PLAN 20102010 –– 20142014 2007 – 5 5 2010 1 Purpose of the Banff & Buchan Community Plan 1.1 Community Planning and Partnership Working bring many benefits to the communities of Banff & Buchan. By working together Community Planning Partners, along with community groups and organisations, gain a shared understanding of local issues and can endeavour to jointly deliver solutions without duplication of effort. This means that more effective solutions can be reached and delivered in the way that best suits the communities of Banff & Buchan. 1.2 The format of the Community Plan reflects the links between the Plan and the Community, Strategic and other Plans of the Council and its Partners. An important new influence is the Single Outcome Agreement (SOA) between the Community Planning Partners and the Scottish Government. We will show how the Community Plan links with the SOA on the Community Planning website. 1.3 The Single Outcome Agreement sets out the aspirations to focus Government and Public Services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. The strategic objectives are to be: • wealthier and fairer • healthier • safer and stronger • smarter • greener. These high level objectives filter through the Single Outcome Agreement to specify actions and outcomes at a local level. BANFF & BUCHAN COMMUNITY PLAN 2010 – 2014 Yachts in Banff Marina 6 1.4 The Banff & Buchan Community Plan contains the intentions of the local Community Planning Partners for developments and projects in the Banff & Buchan area over the next four years. Other actions under the various theme headings will be taken forward by various partner agencies. 1.5 The Community Plan has been drawn up by the Community Planning Partners in conjunction with the Banff & Buchan Area Management Team and consulted and commented upon by the Banff & Buchan Area Committee of Aberdeenshire Council. 1.6 The Banff & Buchan Community Planning Group (BBCPG) currently consists of representatives from the following groups and organisations: Aberdeenshire Council; NHS Grampian; Grampian Police; Grampian Fire and Rescue Service; Banff & Buchan Councillors; Scottish Enterprise; BRIDGE, CVS; the Banffshire Partnership; Fraserburgh Reaching Out Project; representatives from Banff & Buchan Community Councils; the Banff & Macduff Community Trust; and the Fraserburgh Development Trust. 1.7 We hope that you will find the Banff & Buchan Community Plan to be both interesting and informative. Should you wish to discuss any of the items contained within the Plan contact details can be found at the back of this document. BANFF & BUCHAN COMMUNITY PLAN Fraserburgh Harbour 2010 – 2014 7 2 The Banff & Buchan Area 2.1 Banff & Buchan has a land area of 617 sq km. The population estimate for 2016 is 35,610. Throughout Banff and Buchan, there is a palpable sense of history, a history for the most part which is visible in its architecture. The elements and great physical beauty in this part of Scotland have combined to shape the work of man from times of antiquity, through the development of its early settlements, its medieval towns and villages, the building of its castles and great houses and provided the stunningly magnificent settings for its coastal villages. 2.2 Banff & Buchan’s most striking physical feature is its dramatic 77km coastline, one of considerable ecological and scenic significance, recognised in conservation designations for most of its length. Inland, the Area is characterised by an open agricultural landscape with occasional woodland, interspersed by farms and small settlements. Other physical features include the River Deveron and Mormond Hill. 2.3 The population in Banff & Buchan is expected to rise slightly in the period to 2016.