Draft Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Community Action Plan Introduction The Community Planning Partnership The areas of Denny, Dennyloanhead and Dunipace sit within the West The Community Planning Partnership is the term used in each Local Locality of Falkirk. Each area has a proud industrial history but this has Authority area to describe the joint-planning and priority-setting of local declined considerably over the years which has led to a lack of public and third sector organisations, alongside community bodies. These employment opportunities and increased inequalities. The area has high organisations work together so they can share their local knowledge and unemployment and child poverty rates, and there are three resources to get the best outcomes for the people living there. neighbourhoods within the 15% most deprived in Scotland. In Falkirk partners include: This plan was developed to help address some of these inequalities so we • CVS Falkirk can improve the wealth, health and wellbeing of its residents and • workers. It was developed through a range of events, speaking to Falkirk Community Trust residents about what is important to them and what they think should be • Falkirk Council done to improve their area. • Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership • Forth Valley College • Local Community Bodies Why the Plan was Developed • NatureScot • NHS Forth Valley The Scottish Government published the Community Empowerment • Police Scotland (Scotland) Act in 2015, which outlined all Community Planning • Scottish Enterprise Partnerships in Scotland must develop an improvement plan for each • Scottish Fire and Rescue Service area with higher levels of deprivation or disadvantage within the local • SESTran authority boundary. • Skills Development Scotland In Falkirk, the Community Planning Partnership is developing this plan for • Visit Scotland Denny, Dennyloanhead and Dunipace, as well as a plan for Grangemouth, and will develop further plans in places with higher levels of inequality. Draft Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Community Action Plan About Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Local Community Groups The area has a proud industrial history, contributing to the wool, iron, • Denny Baptist Church – a family-friendly church that regularly paper and brickworks industries. Sitting on the southern side of the River holds community events. Invested in helping to improve the Carron, there is a combined population of around 15,000 people. There are wellbeing of people of all ages in Denny and the surrounding a number of historic castles nearby, most notably Herbertshire Castle area. located in what is known locally as Gala Park. Gala Park is home to a variety • Denny and Dunipace YMCA – Aim to provide and support quality, of facilities such as football pitches, cycle path, a skateboard and BMX park, sustainable programmes for young people in Denny and Dunipace a basketball court and a play area for young children and families. in line with identified local needs. • Denny and Dunipace Heritage Society – brings together people Despite being a key industrial hub for the British economy during the who are interested in researching, recording, preserving and industrial era, the decline of key industries has had a detrimental impact on the local economy, and as a result the area has a number of inequalities. protecting the historical, archaeological and architectural The population of Denny and Dennyloanhead have increased over the last heritage of the area. 10 years and there is a higher percentage of older people living in these • Denny and Bonnybridge Men’s Shed – community run workshops areas in comparison to both the Western locality and the Falkirk where men can come together to pursue hobbies, work on Community Planning Partnership (CPP) area. The population of Dunipace projects and chat with other people in the community. has decreased by 4.4% over the last 10 years and has high levels of • SMART Denny – a local charity with aims to reduce energy use in inequalities in areas such as health and employment. the town and tackle fuel poverty Points of Interest (Show this on a map) What has been achieved so far • Herbertshire Castle • The regeneration of Denny town centre is the result of extensive • Gala Park consultation with the public. The multi-million-pound investment • Chacefield Wood includes a modern library, free public Wi-Fi and ten new custom • Community centres designed shop units. • Anderson Park • Key stakeholders have worked together on the regeneration of • Denny Football Centre Herbertshire Castle Park. Phase 1 of the project has been • Wellsfield Farm Park approved which will see improvements made to the car park, as well as additional benches and picnic areas. • Tappoch Broch and Torwood Castle Draft Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Community Action Plan Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Profile - One Page Infographics about the overall population/ headline deprivation. TO BE ADDED IN DESIGN Population of 12,238 Total population increased by 327 in 10 years Dunipace population has decreased by 4.4% in the last 10 years 2,287 Children 25% of children living in poverty in the ward 410 children are in low income families 21.7% of children in Denny are in low income families In the Ward, 23% of pupils receive a clothing grant Average household weekly income in Denny is £568 Unemployment in February 2020 compared with November 2020 Denny 4.2% 7.4% Dennyloanhead 1.8% 4.2% Dunipace 2.8% 6.5% Draft Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Community Action Plan Timeline of events TO BE ADDED IN DESIGN Community Conversations July Your Place, Your Views June- July Action Development Workshops 2018 – June 2019 2018 October – December 2019 Your Place, Your Views • An online survey for the West Locality with 738 respondents • A series of workshops including Denny High School Community Conversations • Engagement with Community Network • Community Action Plan Launch event in Denny Action Development Workshops • Addressing Poverty • Community Safety • Children’s Health • Community Food Plan • Adult Health • Community Transport • Community Network Draft Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Community Action Plan What people like What people don’t like Roads and pavements are not well maintained People like the green spaces in the area They are generally satisfied with healthcare provision There is some anti-social behaviour in the area People like their local area but feel not enough is done to celebrate it Public transport can be unreliable and too expensive People are impressed with the range of activities on offer at the Archibald People feel there is a lack of jobs in the local area Russell Centre and library There are too many takeaways and not enough restaurants for families People feel safe in their area Young people think there are good walking and cycling routes along the There are not enough banks machines available locally canal which lead to other attractions, such as the Falkirk Wheel There is an appetite for community engagement amongst many residents Pupils from Denny High school enjoy visiting places, such as Chacefield but many feel their views are not taken on board Wood and Herbertshire Castle Park Draft Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Community Action Plan Poverty: • The average weekly income in Denny is £568 - lower than the Falkirk rate of £691.47. Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead are places where opportunities, • Denny has higher levels of children living in low-income power and wealth are shared equally. households compared to Falkirk and Scotland. What local people said: • It is difficult to understand poverty unless it has been directly Priorities to address together: experienced. • Food banks should be advertised better so people in need are • People are struggling financially, particularly in light of Covid-19: more aware of them. More work needs to be done to strengthen networks of support • Residents in Denny feel there is a lack of training and within communities so people who are struggling are aware of development opportunities within the area. where they can receive support. • There are not enough banks in the area, people already in • An inclusive local economy: people are concerned about training hardship have to travel too far to access banks/ATM machines. and job opportunities, and high levels of deprivation. • People feel business rates in the area are too high. • There is a need for training and skills projects to match the local economy. What will be different in 10 years? 1. The local economy will be more inclusive and there will be more What we know: local employment opportunities. • Denny has higher levels of unemployment as a result of the 2. Fewer people will be struggling with food insecurity Covid-19 pandemic, similar to the rest of Falkirk • Denny and surrounding areas have three neighbourhoods within the SIMD 2020 20% most deprived areas. Draft Denny, Dunipace and Dennyloanhead Community Action Plan Poverty Action Plan No. Action Who will be involved This will be achieved by: 1. Introduce a community led food pantry with a Community Food Communities, Falkirk Council, Fairer 2022 Worker, subscriptions service and local volunteers Falkirk, NHS Forth Valley 2. Explore additional community projects to address food poverty, such as Communities, NHS Forth Valley, Falkirk 2024 cooking on a budget, a community kitchen, training on hygiene, Community Trust Denny Support Group, nutrition and allergens etc. Denny Baptist Church, Denny and district network, Falkirk Council 3. Consider