Garioch
Local Community Plan
2016-2019
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Cover photograph © Aberdeenshire Council.
Local Community Plan Garioch 2016-2019
Contents
Foreword ...... 2
Executive Summary ...... 3
The Garioch Area ...... 6
What Horizon Scanning told us ...... 9
How the Garioch Community Plan outcomes link into the Scottish Government’s National Outcomes ...... 12
Priority 1 Healthy Communities ...... 14
Priority 2 Strong Communities ...... 17
Priority 3 Safe Communities ...... 20
Contact Us ...... 22
1 Local Community Plan 2016-2019 Garioch
Foreword
Welcome to the Garioch Community Plan 2016-19. This brings together the key partnership actions and projects currently under way or proposed for the next three years which help to meet the Community Planning Group’s priority outcomes. Actions and priorities within the Plan have been drawn and developed from recent community engagements and by working, in conjunction with local communities, with the area’s Community Councils, Garioch Partnership, Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action, Garioch and North Marr Community Safety Group, the statutory agencies of Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, NHS Grampian and Aberdeenshire Council, voluntary sector organisations and the local business community. The actions will be delivered through us all working together, by pooling resources and sharing knowledge. To be as responsive as possible to local need and issues, the Garioch Community Planning Group has given a commitment to updating the Plan on-line every six weeks allowing new actions to be added as they are developed and completed ones removed. We hope that you will find the Plan interesting and easy to read, and that it informs you of what we are doing to improve local services in Garioch. We also hope that having read the Plan you will let us have your ideas on needs within your community, and new priorities that should be considered for the future. We will be using this Plan to help us decide on future funding priorities and we do very much welcome your views. If you wish to discuss any of the items please do get in touch by phone, e-mail or in writing to the address at the back of the Plan. In Garioch, we are fortunate to enjoy not only a substantial commitment from front-line staff and management in the Community Planning partner agencies, but also a tremendous contribution from communities and community organisations. We thank you for all you are already doing to improve the quality of life in this area, and invite you to join us in achieving the Plan’s aim to “work together for the good of everyone in Garioch”.
Douglas Milne
Chair of the Garioch Community Planning Group
Garioch Area Manager
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Car Disc
Executive Summary
The Garioch Community Plan 2016 - 2019 brings together input from Community Planning Partners, Elected Members and most importantly local communities and is based on the added value and impact that could be brought by the Garioch Community Planning Group and its partners working together. The Plan has been developed using a variety of methods including a PESTELO horizon scanning exercise (which is a method of analysing real and potential pressures over the next few years and helps highlight where a partnerships strengths and weaknesses lie), statistical information highlighted in the Garioch Community Planning Strategic Assessment, through community engagement and local professional knowledge.
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It has been agreed that for the next three years our focus should remain on the key areas prioritised in the Garioch Community Plan 2013 - 2016, with an overarching theme of COMMUNITY RESILIENCE, together with associated additional priority outcomes for those living and working in Garioch –
Healthy Communities The people of Garioch are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer in inclusive communities The residents of Garioch feel supported to make informed choices about their lives The physical and mental wellbeing of the residents of Garioch is improved The residents of Garioch feel valued and equal members of society and the communities of Garioch can take pride in an inclusive identity Inverurie is recognised as “the first socially inclusive town in Britain” Ex-Services Personnel, Reservists and those still serving, are supported and integrated within their communities Syrian New Scots families are supported and integrated within their communities Garioch Community Kitchen continues to provide healthy eating education in an inclusive environment The children and young people of Garioch have the best start in life
Strong Communities The communities of Garioch are successful, achieving and inclusive with the confidence, capability and capacity to tackle the things that matter to them The impacts of the downturn in the Oil and Gas industry and welfare reforms upon individuals and communities within Garioch are mitigated Communities are empowered to do things for themselves and have their voices heard Inverurie becomes a successful Business Improvement District
Safe Communities The people of Garioch live their lives free from crime, disorder and danger The risk of harm to residents is reduced Vehicle users and pedestrians are free from danger on Garioch roads
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An equalities impact assessment has also been carried out against 9 protected characteristics. Public Bodies must take account of these characteristics when developing projects or actions. The Plan, which will be updated every six weeks, will be available to view on line (www.ouraberdeenshire.org.uk/garioch) and will be monitored on a 6 monthly basis. The draft Plan was circulated around communities and other stakeholders for comment and was officially adopted by the Garioch Community Planning Group on the 17 June 2016.
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Dial-a-Bus
The Garioch Area
With an estimated population of 53,900 people, the residents of Garioch make up 20.9% of Aberdeenshire’s total estimated population (257,740). Garioch’s population continues to increase and has risen gradually over the past decade. The population is estimated to have increased by 25.1% since 2002 and is expected to grow further by nearly 12% over the next decade, which is the fastest projected growth rate in Aberdeenshire.
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Population Data
Year 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Children 9016 9103 9179 9428 9660 9862 10007 10127 10233 10536 10719 10883
Working Age 28732 29210 29806 30506 31394 32347 33083 33524 33920 34511 34845 35244
Pensionable 5341 5513 5661 5860 6091 6278 6490 6692 6858 7057 7434 7773 Age
Total 43089 43826 44646 45794 47145 48487 49580 50343 51011 52104 52998 53900 Population
Source: National Records of Scotland Mid-Year Estimates (Revised on 2011 Census) The Area’s age profile has a higher representation of younger age groups than Aberdeenshire generally and an increasing ageing population. Across Garioch, the life expectancy of the majority of communities is above the Scottish average and emergency hospital admissions are lower than elsewhere in the Shire.
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The economy of the Area is closely integrated with the Aberdeen economy, with many of our residents working in Aberdeen. However, Inverurie, Westhill and Kintore are important work destinations also having a significant beneficial impact on the local economy. Unemployment levels are low and Garioch is seen as thriving and prosperous. Given the downturn in the oil and gas industry, however, those levels are expected to rise bringing with them the need for increased multi-agency support. Although only one of the 45 Garioch datazones (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) comes within the 15% most deprived in Aberdeenshire, we need to ensure that all residents enjoy an equitable standard of living and feel valued and included within their communities. West Garioch and Inverurie & District have double the estimated levels of child poverty (before housing costs) than East Garioch and Westhill & District. This suggests that a proportion of children in the area start life in poverty but these are concentrated to particular areas of Garioch. There are low levels of crime in Garioch and residents here feel the safest within their communities when compared with the other areas of the Shire (Citizens Panel). Garioch residents are less likely to consider crime and antisocial behaviour a problem but no less likely to report that fear of crime has a major or moderate impact on how they lead their lives. Residents appear less likely to have witnessed or experienced a range of community safety issues and the only issue of which Garioch residents have comparable experience to elsewhere in Aberdeenshire is antisocial driving. Access to transport keeps people connected to their communities and enables them to access healthcare and social activities. Considering the travel implications of community projects will be essential to enable older and vulnerable people, and those without their own transport, to participate.
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Harlaw
What Horizon Scanning told us
A series of horizon scanning (PESTELO) exercises were carried out to identify current and potential pressures within the Garioch area over the next few years. Sessions were held with the Garioch Community Planning Group, Garioch Area Committee, Aberdeenshire Council’s Garioch Area Management Team, Garioch Community Forums and Garioch Community Councils.
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Horizon Scanning – Key Points Political
Elections: Holyrood 2016; EU Referendum 2016; Local Government 2017; Scotland Act 2012 and Smith Commission COSLA review of Local Democracy Economic
Fluctuations in the oil and gas industry Ageing workforce, skills gaps and frontline worker shortages Welfare Reform – Universal Credit Rural inequalities in transport connectivity Dualling of A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen and AWPR Planned reopening of Kintore Railway Station/Inverurie Transport Exchange Social
Increasing, ageing and migratory population Shifts in social norms in relation to healthy eating, physical exercise, alcohol and tobacco consumption Move towards prevention, early intervention and Self Directed Care Shift to online provision of information and services – gaps in digital skills Increased expectations from service users Emerging trend of legal highs Road safety Technological
Advances in the availability, prevalence and importance of internet-based services and social media Rural inequalities in mobile and broadband connections Environmental
Increasing occurrences of extreme weather patterns Danger to wildlife and unsanitary conditions from irresponsible dog ownership (dog fouling) Construction of major infrastructure projects Investments in renewable energy Development of Safe Cycle Network Path Legal
Community Empowerment Bill Organisational
Health and Social Care Integration Aberdeenshire Council’s Workspace policy – proposed new council building Inverurie
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The issues identified through the PESTELO process have been used to inform our priority outcomes for Garioch and those to which we could add value by working together have been included within this Plan. There were certain issues, however, that we felt needed to be dealt with on an Aberdeenshire-wide basis – transport being an important one which was also highlighted in the PESTELO exercises carried out in the other areas of Shire. Affordable and appropriate housing is something that again has been raised across the Shire and is being dealt with at that level. Aberdeenshire Council has recently invested £18 million towards the capital cost of broadband infrastructure improvements for Aberdeenshire and is championing for a better deal for residents and businesses in the area. Since April 2014, over 60,000 households have been able to access a fibre based service for the first time and the uplift in download speeds from an Aberdeenshire average of under 6Mbps to over 24Mbps.
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Image_text Housing development How the Garioch Community Plan outcomes link into the Scottish Government’s National Outcomes
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Priority Garioch Outcomes National Outcomes
Healthy The residents of Garioch feel We live longer, healthier lives. Communities supported to make informed choices Our people are able to maintain about their lives their independence as they get older The physical and mental wellbeing of and are able to access appropriate the residents of Garioch is improved support when they need it The residents of Garioch feel valued We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society and equal members of society and the communities of Garioch can take We take pride in a strong, fair and pride in an inclusive identity inclusive national identity Inverurie is recognised as “the first We are better educated, more socially inclusive town in Britain” skilled and more successful, renowned for our research and Ex-Services Personnel, Reservists and innovation those still serving, are supported and Our young people are successful integrated within their communities learners, confident individuals, Syrian New Scots families are effective contributors and supported and integrated within responsible citizens. their communities Our children have the best start in The children and young people of life and are ready to succeed. Garioch have the best start in life We have improved the life chances of children, young people and families at risk Strong Communities are empowered to do We have strong, resilient and Communities things for themselves and have their supportive communities where voices heard people take responsibility for their The impacts of the downturn in the own actions and how they affect Oil and Gas industry and welfare others reforms upon individuals and We live in a Scotland that is the communities within Garioch are most attractive place for doing mitigated business in Europe Inverurie becomes a successful We realise our full economic Business Improvement District potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society We have improved the life chances of children, young people and families at risk Safe The risk of harm to residents is We live our lives safe from crime, Communities reduced disorder and danger Vehicle users and pedestrians are Our people are able to maintain free from danger on Garioch roads their independence as they get older and are able to access appropriate support when they need it
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Inverurie Men’s Shed
Priority 1 Healthy Communities
The people of Garioch are able to look after and improve their own health and wellbeing and live in good health for longer in inclusive communities
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Why is this a priority for Garioch? Garioch has experienced rapid population growth in recent years and the number of older people is expected to grow further over the next decade creating challenges for the future provision of health and social care. By working together, NHS Grampian, Aberdeenshire Council Social Work, Third Sector organisations, and the residents of Garioch and Aberdeenshire through the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership, people of all ages will enjoy better health and wellbeing and will be able to stay in their own homes and communities for longer as they get older. Physical activity positively impacts on physical and mental wellbeing. In recent years Aberdeenshire has seen a marginal increase in physical activity, recreational walking and participation in sports. However, many people do not take part in recommended levels of activity, with some classed as being inactive. Physical inactivity has been attributed to a range of environmental, social and economic factors which can lead to inequality in the opportunities open to certain sections of the community. It is well documented that social isolation and loneliness equate to smoking fifteen cigarettes per day in terms of reducing life expectancy and having major negative impacts not just on mental health and wellbeing but also on physical health. In helping socially excluded individuals and communities overcome inequality and disadvantage we aim to provide equality of opportunity and elimination of discrimination through inclusive approaches and initiatives. The number of children and young people is also continuing to rise and we need to be able to respond to their needs to allow them to become successful and engaged individuals. In 2013 the Council and its partners signed the Armed Forces Community Covenant giving a commitment to support veterans, serving personnel and reservists in Aberdeenshire. The Covenant aims to encourage communities to offer support to the local Armed Forces community and make it easier for Service personnel, families and veterans to access the help and support available to them. Aberdeenshire Council, in September 2015, gave commitments to housing fifty families fleeing Syria and to working with Community Planning Partners to enable the families to integrate into the community and get the support they require. The first families were welcomed into the Garioch area in February 2016.
What do we hope to achieve in the next three years?
The residents of Garioch feel supported to make informed choices about their lives The physical and mental wellbeing of the residents of Garioch is improved The residents of Garioch feel valued and equal members of society and the communities of Garioch can take pride in an inclusive identity Inverurie is recognised as “the first socially inclusive town in Britain” Ex-Services Personnel, Reservists and those still serving, are supported and integrated within their communities Syrian New Scots families are supported and integrated within their communities The children and young people of Garioch have the best start in life
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Some of the things that are already happening in Garioch
Significant development in Garioch with the creation of the new Inverurie Health and Care Hub, which will include a community maternity unit and X-ray services, and which will be the largest health centre in Scotland New schools in Inverurie, Kintore and Kinellar to cater for the growing number of children The Harlaw Road Day Centre will finally close during 2016 allowing service users to take part in more community based activity Inverurie Men’s Shed opened in January 2016 to encourage social interaction of men, particularly those who are retired or underemployed. Westhill Men’s Shed extended its opening times to cater for the increased local demand. Both Sheds have over 100 members Health Walk groups have been set up across Garioch and walk leaders trained Garioch Wellbeing Festival held in May 2016 promoting mental health and wellbeing Conversation Cafes held throughout Garioch encouraging social interaction Aberdeenshire SALUTES (Supporting and Linking Up to Ex Services) Project set up to identify numbers and locations of veterans in Garioch and Aberdeenshire and to look at their needs to allow statutory and voluntary sector partners supporting them to target their resources efficiently and effectively Syrian New Scots families have been welcomed into the Garioch Communities and are being supported by Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre Inverurie is on its way to becoming a Dementia Friendly Community and the Safe Place Scheme is developing to offer support to those with dementia and learning disabilities whilst in the town centre Garioch Community Kitchen offers healthy eating and independent living skills courses a new structure to manage children’s services within Aberdeenshire “Getting it Right For Every Child in Aberdeenshire” is under development and will participate in the Early Years Collaborative. This multi-agency structure will include local GIRFEC practice groups which will integrate local delivery of children’s services, target interventions and align closely with the six Local Community Planning Groups
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Flood
Priority 2 Strong Communities
The communities of Garioch are successful, achieving and inclusive with the confidence, capability and capacity to tackle the things that matter to them
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Why is this a priority for Garioch? The introduction of the Community Empowerment Act in 2015 will help empower community bodies through the ownership of land and buildings, and by strengthening their voices in the decisions that matter to them. It will also provide opportunities for communities to participate in the delivery of services and by improving the process of community planning will ensure that local service providers work together even more closely with communities to meet the needs of the people who use them. We need to ensure that the communities of Garioch are fully informed, equipped and supported to realise the full potential of the Act. Garioch along with other areas of Aberdeenshire and indeed Scotland experienced unprecedented flooding in early January 2016. The response from the wider community in supporting those affected was and continues to be tremendous and several of our communities are already taking steps to develop Resilience Plans to enable them to be in the best possible position should such an emergency arise again. We need to support communities to maximise the resources and capacity they have to do this successfully. The recent downturn in the oil and gas industry has resulted in significant changes to the lives of many of our residents and the ripple effect it has created affects communities of both place and interest across Garioch. We must seek to mitigate this impact together with that following the introduction of welfare reforms which has had and will continue to have significant financial and social implications for those on lower incomes, their families and their communities. Inverurie has a strong, robust and fairly independent town centre and its socioeconomic status is higher than in other similar towns but we cannot afford to become complacent and must work together to ensure that it remains vibrant and successful. Inverurie Business Association have determined a Business Improvement District (BID) project the primary aim of which is to give the business community greater influence in Inverurie, and by working with the local community, will determine projects that they consider will improve their trading environment and which they will ultimately manage and deliver through the formation of a BID Company. BID projects seek to improve footfall, investment and help improve the economic, environmental and social vibrancy of an area.
What do we hope to achieve in the next three years?
Our Communities are empowered to do things for themselves and have their voices heard Our Communities are resilient The impacts of the downturn in the Oil and Gas industry and welfare reforms upon individuals and communities within Garioch are mitigated against Inverurie becomes a successful Business Improvement District
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Some of the things that are already happening
The Garioch Partnership and Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action are keeping apace with the introduction of the Community Empowerment Act and its Guidance to inform, enable and support the communities of Garioch to be in the strongest position possible to realise the full potential of the Act. Aberdeenshire Council has set up a Community Empowerment Steering Group which will determine how the Council will respond to the implementation of the Act Community Forums and Health and Social Care Integration Community Engagement events are held to gather views of local communities and their needs and aspirations are captured through Community Action Planning. The communities of Kingseat, Insch, Kintore, Port Elphinstone, Kemnay and Blackburn have all recently produced or are working towards producing their Community Action Plans Garioch Flood Recovery Group set up to coordinate the local community and agency response in the aftermath of the flooding affecting Garioch in January 2016. The communities of Kintore and Kemnay have begun to look at producing Resilience Plans for their communities The Garioch and Formartine Welfare Reform Group is linking with the Aberdeenshire Financial Inclusion Group, Health Improvement Groups and Aberdeenshire Mental Health Voluntary Sector Forum regarding shared concerns around the mental and social wellbeing of those affected adversely by economic changes and mental health awareness raising sessions are being delivered to front-line staff in support agencies Aberdeenshire Foodbank North operates out of Inverurie providing immediate assistance to those in crisis Inverurie Business Association has appointed a Project Co-ordinator to take Inverurie through the development phase of the BID project Westhill & District Community Sports & Leisure Hub has been established promoting and supporting the sustainability of local sports clubs and providing sport & physical activity opportunities to the local community Residents of housing developments within Garioch are coming together to look at future ways of delivering grounds and buildings maintenance where they live
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Police Kemnay
Priority 3 Safe Communities
The people of Garioch live their lives free from crime, disorder and danger
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Why is this a Priority for Garioch
Garioch is a relatively safe area in the context of Scotland and recorded crime levels in 2014/15 were amongst the lowest in Aberdeenshire and are at their lowest for a least a decade. We need to ensure that this continues and we do not become complacent. We remain committed to ensuring that the number of road casualties reduces and that pedestrians feel safe when using our roads. Given that people are living for longer in their own homes we need to ensure that they can continue to do so in a safe environment and will work together to minimise the risks they face as they become older. Alcohol consumption within the home is increasing and we need to encourage people to have an improved understanding of their habits and be sufficiently informed and motivated to make appropriate life-style choices. Garioch compares well nationally for the number of alcohol related hospital admissions with the exception of Inverurie South which is above the national average.
What do we hope to achieve in the next three years?
Vehicle users and pedestrians are free from danger on Garioch roads The risk of harm to residents is reduced
Some of the things that are already happening
In 2015 the Garioch Community Planning Group purchased Speed Monitoring Equipment for use by the Police Transport Police and Network Rail have held community engagements in Insch to highlight the dangers of level crossings Dog Fouling Schemes have been set up in Insch and Westhill Crash Live events have been held throughout Garioch demonstrating the emergency response to a serious road traffic collision Safe Drive Stay Alive event held each year Road safety measures being carried out on A947 Central ADP Community Forum raising awareness of alcohol misuse
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Contact Us
Garioch Community Planning Officer Aberdeenshire Council Gordon House Blackhall Road Inverurie Aberdeenshire AB51 3WA Tel: 01467 628338 E-mail: [email protected]
Useful Websites:
www.ouraberdeenshire.org.uk www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk www.scotland.police.uk www.firescotland.gov.uk www.nhsgrampian.org www.gariochpartnership.org.uk www.avashire.org.uk www.aberdeenshirecommunitysafety.org.uk
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