What’s it like to live in , , Mains? July 2019

SUMMARY Within South West Locality, the Oxgangs area is prioritised as one of the four small areas due to the level of deprivation. To understand this community’s needs and what is required to be improved, a community engagement exercise was undertaken. Taking a bottom up or grassroots approach was essential. This community engagement exercise took place with the people living in Oxgangs, Firrhill and Colinton Mains during January to June 2019.

What is seen as good • Public transport scored high and generally seemed to meet people’s needs • The amount of good quality, natural space was felt to be a key strength of the area

What could be better • More local employment and training opportunities • More activities for older children and young people and places for them to socialise • To be able to easily walk around the area at all times (of the day and throughout the year) for everyone • Solving the issues of rubbish and dog mess

What’s important to the community • Affordability if that be for child care, recreational activities, places to socialise, and housing • Reducing the priority that the car has in the area as well as improving the issues of speeding, traffic congestion and parking • For everyone including young people, to know how to get involved in their community, and be able to take part in decisions and help change things for the better

What are the opportunities for immediate action • Make the most of all the local resources in the area ensuring that they are welcoming places and are maximising social connections for everyone • Continue the dialogue and build trust with this community • Assess whether outcomes set out for the Oxgangs area in the South West Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plan are progressing and having a positive impact.

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1. INTRODUCTION Within South West Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plan, Oxgangs area is a small area prioritised due to the level of deprivation in the area. The Oxgangs population is approximately 3,600 people with a higher than average proportion of children and older residents, compared to the rest of the city. The under 16 years old population has risen in recent years, while the number of over 65 years old has remained the same 1. The area has seen some significant regeneration beginning with the demolition of the high rise flats, commonly known as “The Luxury Flats" which started in 2005 2. There after the mix of tenure changed, resulting in larger proportions of privately owned properties or those managed by housing associations such as Dunedin Canmore 3. More recently there has been the development of the Allermuir Health Centre in 2017, which accommodates Medical Practice and Firrhill Medical Practice, and also provides podiatry and child health services. To understand this community’s needs and what is required to be improved, a community engagement exercise was undertaken. Taking a bottom up or grassroots approach was essential. The South West Edinburgh Public Health Practitioner led on this exercise, on behalf of the Oxgangs Forum. The Oxgangs Forum membership ranges from voluntary sector including housing, advice agencies and faith organisations operating in the area, Firrhill Community Council representatives, Army Welfare Service and public sector including City of Edinburgh Council, Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership, NHS Lothian, Police , and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

2. APPROACH and METHODOLGY This community engagement exercise was undertaken with the people living in Oxgangs, Firrhill and Colinton Mains during January to June 2019. The Place Standard Tool 4 was used for this engagement exercise with the local residents around what it’s like to live in the area. A training type session was initially undertaken with the members of the Oxgangs Forum with the help of the City of Edinburgh Council’s Place team in January 2019 so members of the Forum could see how they could get involved and use the tool. Two members of the Firrhill Community Council attended this session and saw the benefit of being involved; so much so that they organised an event using the tool with other members of Firrhill Community Council as well as extending the invite to people who lived in the area. Following the advice from the City of Edinburgh Council’s South West Edinburgh Life Long Learning team, engagement focused mainly with current groups/ people attending local activities already meeting in the area at local community places. The plan and details of these engagement sessions is available on request. There were a

1South West Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plan October 2017 2 http://www.digitalsentinel.net/uploads/2015/09/Village-in-the-sky-book-40pptext-Cover.pdf 3 South West Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plan October 2017 4 https://placestandard.scot/ 2 mix of promoted drop-in sessions at these local places (at different times of the day including weekends) as well as arranging to meet with local groups and people attending these local activities. When planning these sessions the Scottish Community Development Centre’s resources VOiCE were used to ensure that they were planned to the National Standards for Community Development. All the partners in the Oxgangs Forum were encouraged to support this engagement exercise and get involved: Edinburgh & Lothian Greenspace Trust, Army Welfare Service and Dunedin Canmore Youth Project all organised focused sessions. A wide range of stakeholders, who operate in the area but are not currently involved in the Oxgangs Forum were also contacted to see whether they wished to be involved. The link to the online survey, whereby people could complete it themselves in their own time was promoted on relevant social media using local contacts e.g. Facebook. This link to the online survey was also widely advertised on all the fliers for any engagement session including drop-in sessions. From January to May 2019, a total of 93 people were involved with this community engagement: 81 people from all ages in face to face discussions as well as 12 people completed it online. Around 20 different local groups/ activities being run in the area were approached and participated. Discussions were either 1:1 interviews (total of 27) or group discussions (13 in total). In the month of June, used the tool in their classes with all pupils in S2-S6 with around 1000 young people being engaged. Each session went through all 14 themes outlined in the Place Standard Tool, asking for a rating on a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 means there is a lot of room for improvement and 7 means there is very little room for improvement. If respondents were unsure or didn’t know, a rating of 4 was recorded. The overall results for each theme reported includes: the average rating from Firrhill High School, along with the ratings from all the other different sessions. These ratings were analysed, looking at the range of ratings. All the comments were collected in order to be analysed and collated. It is the comments from the respondents that are the most important aspect of this exercise. The analysis of the ratings and comments are available in Appendix 1 (Please note that Appendix 1 is a separate document). With the analysis of the data, it should be noted that:

• There should be consideration into where these interviews and group discussions took place i.e. in local community places where the respondents were using the facilities and services. • The ratings should only be taken as indicators due to: o the geographical area being very mixed o a need to understand the respondent’s context o the small numbers involved in this engagement exercise. • However, to minimise any bias:

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o the online web link and drop-in sessions were promoted o the interviewer emphasised the fact that the re was no right or wrong answer.

3. RESULTS Summary of results

Rating: 1 means there is a lot of room for improvement 7 means there is v ery little room for improvement

Diagram 1: Radar chart of results for each theme from all groups

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3.1 Moving Around Can I easily walk and cycle around using good quality routes? The topography of the area was raised by most people especially older people and families with the example of the difficulty of pushing a buggy or wheelchair up hill. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Generally respondents • But paths and pavements • Active travel felt that there are lots of are uneven, not wide • Make routes more paths for walking, if you enough, and with accessible for everyone know the area potholes including families, older • Lack of lighting makes it people and people with unsafe at night and in the disabilities at all times (of winter months the day and year) • Parking and the amount of traffic especially around the schools makes moving around harder and less safe • More cycle paths and dedicated cycle lanes

3.2 Public transport Does public transport meet my needs? The public transport in the area is a bus service managed by (LRT). Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Generally people were • Frequency of buses • Increase links between very positive particularly the No 400 Oxgangs and Wester • No connection between Hailes Firrhill Neuk with the • Include a new route of main road of Colinton Firrhill Neuk to/from Mains Drive/ Allermuir Allermuir Medical Medical Practice Practice • Bus tracker system: Not • Young people’s discount available at bus stops/ to travel shelters and inaccuracy if • Better live bus using the App information for customers

3.3 Traffic and parking Do traffic and parking arrangements allow people to move around safely and meet the community’s needs? Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• There were very few • Parking: more places to • Change the perception positive comments; park and improve that the car is the priority however the ones made people’s parking in public • Active travel to school: did recognise some of places changing behaviour of the effort to try to • Safety: mainly crossing travelling to school improve this e.g. islands roads

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to help cross roads, • Reduce the congestion • Active travel speed bumps, along with less cars communication to using the roads parents around parking • Speeding: traffic-calming around the schools measures are not effective as drivers are still speeding • Area around the schools in terms of amount of traffic, safety and parking around schools’ start and finish times • Air quality, a concern from young people

3.4 Streets and spaces Do buildings, streets and public places create an attractive place that is easy to get around? This wasn’t a topic that respondents had many comments unlike some of the other themes. People felt mainly that the buildings and public space was very mixed: with some new modern buildings along with old buildings needing renovation. Positives Are as for improvement Opportunities

• Improved over time • Oxgangs Crescent, • Use of art e.g. more art • No high rise flats Oxgangs House, murals • Fencing around the bins Oxgangs Broadway • Enhance civic spaces • Building in the middle of e.g. area around the Colinton Mains Park library

3.5 Natural space Can I regularly experience good quality natural space? This is a key strength of the area, clearly demonstrated by the high ratings. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Surrounded by lots of • More bins • Raise the awareness of natural and green space • Reduce amount of all this local natural • A wide variety of natural rubbish, broken glass, space space dog mess • Make it accessible for • Everyone came up with • Stop fly tipping in these everyone examples green spaces • Maximise the usage of • More benches this local natural space • Signage as currently none

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3.6 Play and recreation Can I access a range of space with opportunities for play and recreation? There was a very mixed response to this question: positive and negative, demonstrated in the range of scores and comments. However it came through strongly that there wasn’t enough for older children and young people. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Lots of local community • Parks and recreation • Maximising the usage of resources e.g. green areas need upgrading green spaces, parks and space, parks, community e.g. Colinton Mains Park community places e.g. centres/ spaces and the in regard to safety, poor Oxgangs library, library lighting, accessing Oxgangs Neighbourhood • Lots for babies and facilities all year round Centre, Colinton Mains young children • Timings of activities/ Community Centre and • Lots for older people groups e.g. a lack of Pentlands Community • Lots going on at activities after school, in Centre churches the evenings, weekends • Deliver more affordable and school holidays and accessible activities • Make resources for older children, young accessible all year round people and families • Lack of physical activity

and sport activities. Suggestions included: skate park, trampoline, outdoor gym facilities

3.7 Facilities and amenities Do facilities and amenities meet my needs? Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Food shopping • Places to eat and drink • Create places for the • Local community • Leisure facilities community to socially resources such as the described as general connect especially library, Pentlands leisure centre, pool, gym, around food Community Centre and and sports facilities • Deliver affordable leisure Oxgangs Neighbourhood • Specific facilities and facilities for everyone Centre amenities for children • Allermuir Health Centre and young people, • Schools families • Affordability • Access at evenings (especially for working parents), weekends and holidays

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3.8 Work and local economy Is there an active local economy and the opportunity to access good quality work? The amount of good quality work in the area was seen as an issue by some respondents. Two respondents interviewed were currently looking for work. However around half interviewed were not sure how to respond to this theme and hence the high percentage that scored this theme 4. The majority of adults interviewed were unemployed, retired, on maternity leave or couldn’t work due to illness or a disability. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Local opportunities only • Length of time to • Promote volunteering in food retailing, health/ commute to work was opportunities for all ages care homes and schools raised by a few • Provision of more: • The support of the advice respondents affordable childcare and agency: CHAI • Local opportunities for after school clubs young people out with school times (more of an issue with the older students) • Knowledge of volunteering opportunities in the area

3.9 Housing and community Do the homes in my area support the needs of the community? The wide range of housing options from council to large private detached was clearly described with respondents’ scoring and comments being very dependent on their own circumstances and hence the range of scores and comments. As for the previous theme, there was a high response of don’t knows and scores of 4. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Mix of housing options • Affordable housing • Support for Residents especially for families Associations • Assess future needs of housing tenure

3.10 Social contact Is there a range of spaces and opportunities to meet people? There were mixed responses to this theme but this could be due to most of the interviews/ group discussions taking place in local community places i.e. Oxgangs Community Business Space within the Oxgangs Care building, Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre, Pentlands Community Centre and Oxgangs Library. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Local community • Places to eat or drink • Review all the local resources such as the especially for young community places to library, Pentlands people ensure that they are

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Community Centre, • Mixed views as to being used to their full Colinton Mains whether these local potential i.e. their reach Community Centre and community places were and offer meets the Oxgangs Neighbourhood welcoming needs of the whole Centre • More variety and places community by creating • Pub to socialise opportunities for • Places for young people connections and are to socialise seen as ‘welcoming places’ by the community • Create for all generations places to socialise: young people, families, adults, older people • Use a variety of communication formats to ensure that the community know what is going on (improve online and hard copy communications)

A welcoming place is defined as:

• places free to use • warm hospitality • places free from agenda • people make places 5.

Further ideas on ways to create informal opportunities are highlighted in another Carnegie UK Trust report ‘The Practice of Kindness’ (2019) as well as the learnings from other areas in Scotland. 6

3.11 Identity and belonging Does this place have a positive identity and do I feel I belong? The majority of responses were positive although there were mixed views about the perceived reputation of the area. People strongly wished to remain or return to this area. This was also highlighted when discussed under the housing theme through their frustrations of not being able to afford bigger, family housing in the area and thereby having to move out with the area. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• People enjoy living and • Continue to encourage • People are aware of and wish to remain living in the integration of army celebrate the history and

5 Carnegie UK Trusts report ‘The Place of Kindness’ (Ferguson, 2017) Diagram 4 on page 15 https://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/publications/place-kindness-combating-loneliness-building- stronger-communities/ 6 https://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/publications/the-practice-of-kindness-learning-from-kin-and- north-ayrshire/ 9

the area families into the culture of the area community • Promote positive experiences of living in the area

3.12 Feeling safe Do I feel safe here ? Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Generally respondents • Improved lighting • Engage with young felt safe but this did • Stop the drug dealing people to resolve safety depend on where and issues, anti-social when i.e. at night or in behaviour plus potential the winter, darker months to link with Army Barracks

3.13 Care and maintenance Are buildings and spaces well cared for? Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Maintenance in and • Dog mess • Support for local around the schools • Litter and not enough Residents’ Associations bins • Broken glass on grass in parks • Vandalism • Fly tipping in public areas • General care and maintenance of social housing as well as the green space around this housing

3.14 Influence and sense of control Do I feel able to take part in decisions and help change things for the better? There was a mixed response to this question with a few examples of how respondents got involved. Positives Areas for improvement Opportunities

• Local councillors were • Majority weren’t sure how • Communications – the known with some being they could get involved community know what’s named as well as how to and whether they had going on get in contact with them time • Communicate the opportunities of how to get involved

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Respondents may have been dispassionate due to the amount of consultation that occurs locally and Edinburgh wide. Young people felt that it is important for them to be involved and felt a sense of involvement and control at school but not locally within their community to date. It is essential that the results of this exercise are communicated back to the community; posters in local community places and feedback sessions have been organised and are posted in the local community places. Continuing the dialogue and regular feedback is essential to build the trust of the community 7. Service providers need to ensure that they are developing their services using feedback from their users and input from the community. 8 It is important that the community feel that there are being listened to and action is taken from their feedback. Appendix 1 has all the analysis of the data including the comments and outlines the localised examples given by the participants to help with this.

3.15 Comparison between groups For each theme, there were no significant differences between male and female ratings. However there were differences between age groups particularly young people, adults and older people. There was also a difference between living in the community compared to living on the army barracks. The priorities (i.e. lowest rating) vary between the groups and these were:

Young people Older People Adults Army families (16-24years old) (65years plus) Traffic and parking Traffic and parking Work and local Identity and economy belonging Play & recreation/ Influence and sense Social interaction Feeling safe facilities & amenities/ of control social interaction Influence and sense Influence & sense of Care & maintenance of control control Traffic and parking Influence and sense of control

3.16 Comparing these results to the current South West Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plan (LIP) 2017-2022 9 for Oxgangs The main issues and hence priorities raised by the community are consistent with the actions set out in the Locality Improvement Plan. An update on progress with Locality Improvement Plan actions is required before defining any future specific work.

7 https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/report/principles-for-community-empowerment 8 The Zubairi Report (VHS, 2018) page 24 https://vhscotland.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/The- Zubairi-Report-VHS-Nov-2018.pdf

9 https://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20017/our_main_offices/1663/locality_improvement_plans

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South West Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plan for Oxgangs Workstream Actions Children and Young • Improve provision and access to youth and children’s services People • Work with partners and the community to develop a range of play and leisure activities Safer communities • Reduce incidents of vandalism, damage to property and graffiti • Work with local schools and community youth groups • Undertake partnership initiatives to tackle repeat problems Team around Place • Improving recycling opportunities • Improved mixed tenure management Employability • Increase access to locally based support so residents can secure sustainable employment and maximise income • Improve awareness of employability provision Health & Social • Improve access to services Care • Co-locate more support services in a community hub • Provide information about local activities and other services using a wide range of formats and communication methods • Establish a local forum or group to tackle physical and mental health problems

3.17 Comparing these results to other feedback At the local community health event on 13 July 2019 people were asked three questions:

• What works? • What could be different? • What role could you play in this?

Even though low numbers of people attended this event, responses were consistent with the feedback gathered using the Place Standard Tool:

• The positives of living in the area being the amount of green space, good transport links and the benefits of getting involved • Issues of affordable housing and not enough activities and places for children and young people • Mixed views portrayed in regards to community spirit and a sense of belonging.

4. REVIEW and RECOMMENDATIONS Action Plan The agreed final action plan by the Oxgangs Forum needs to focus on:

• Ensuring that the community feedback collected is communicated back to the community, and all partners and stakeholders

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• Consider next actions after understanding what progress has and hasn’t been achieved with the South West Edinburgh Locality Improvement Plan and the effectiveness of this work • Linking up with any current pieces of work, already ongoing • Specific actions for older children and young people • Wider, longer term work on improving the community engagement and empowerment in the area • Agreeing which partner(s) takes forward the below proposed key actions.

Theme Proposed k ey action s 8 • Maximise volunteering in the area, with a particular focus Work on young people 6,7,10 • Maximising local community places e.g. green space, Play, facilities, social contact parks particularly Colinton Mains Park, and community centres including Colinton Mains Community Centre, Pentland Community Centre, Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre and Oxgangs Library • Checking whether this feedback on local community places is consistent with regular feedback from service users and footfall figures of these local places • Ensure all local community places are “welcoming places”( 10 see page 9) 6,7,8,9,10 • Review feedback with City of Edinburgh Council Place Play, facilities, social team including the Planning team to ensure the contact, housing, work opportunity with the Redford Barracks redevelopment is maximised 6,7,10 • Review feedback and agree how going to progress more Play, facilities, social contact activities and facilities with a focus on older children, families and young people (with a specific focus on re- energising the Youth Clubs). • Address issues raised regarding Colinton Mains park and facilities 3,6,7,10,12,14 • Focus on children and young people – link this work in Traffic and parking, play, with Youth Talk and other partners’ engagement findings facilities, social contact, feeling safe, influence and sense of control 6,7,10, 11,14 • Discuss and seek agreement between all partners Play, facilities, social working in the area, on ways to maximise local contact, identify and communications by using all the different and available belonging, influence formats, including linking to the Firrhill Community Council’s social media activity 11, 14 • Continue the dialogue with the community by feeding Identify and belonging, back in a timely manner influence and sense of • Agree actions for improving community engagement and control empowerment • Evaluate and share findings of any future community

10 Carnegie UK Trusts report ‘The Place of Kindness’ (Ferguson, 2017) Diagram 4 on page 15 https://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/publications/place-kindness-combating-loneliness-building- stronger-communities/ 13

empowerment exercises • Understand and learn from the experiences of ‘seldom heard’ groups • Share the learnings with other small areas in SW and Edinburgh wide 9 • Investigate into increasing affordable housing especially Housing and community for families • Assess the future needs of housing tenure 11 • Focus on local army families: how do we continue to work Identity and belonging together ensuring that they integrate and feel part of the community 1, 3, 12 • SW Place team and review feedback Moving around, traffic and • Identify measures to reduce speeding parking, feeling safe • Parking issues: review how to maintain safe routes around the schools • Plan how to reverse the feeling that the car is priority in the area • Promote active travel 1,13 • SW Place team review feedback with particular reference Moving around, care and to: improving moving around the area, more dedicated maintenance cycle paths, quality of paths, lighting, more bins, improve Oxgangs Broadway/ Oxgangs House, using more outdoor art to enhance the environment 2 • Feedback to Lothian Buses particularly the frequency of Public transport the 400, link to Firrhill Neuk, and cost to young people 1,5 • Agree a plan on how to maximise the usage of green Moving around, natural space and parks in the area for everyone e.g. benches, space map/ signage, ways to increase walking and cycling in the area

Review Plan This data was collected in 2019 and forms the baseline. It is recommended for this engagement to be repeated in 3-5 years’ time (2022-2024). A follow up can be sooner, with a simple open ended question of: “Do you think there’s been any progress?” referring to the visual radar chart of 2019 results. Or alternatively take one theme at a time, to monitor progress.

Please get in touch if you have any queries or want any more information My contact details are: Kate Barlow, Public Health Practitioner for South West Edinburgh Email address: [email protected]

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Support to undertake this work has come from:

Scottish Government Kat Hasler

Architecture Design Scotland Johnny Cadell

City of Edinburgh Council Will Garrett Lesley Porteous Ada Yui Mike Avery Michael Edwards Lydia Markham Local Councillor for the ward (Colinton/ ): Scott Arthur

NHS Lothian Liz Simpson Richard Nettleton

Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership Rashpal Nottay

Firrhill Community Council Heather Levy Susan Weir Frances Gosney

Edinburgh & Lothian Greenspace Trust Kim Sibbald

Army Welfare Service Zakia Yousaf

Dunedin Canmore Youth Project Michelle Johnson

Oxgangs Forum Elaine Aitken

Firrhill High School Ross Isdale Martin Hollis

Staff at the venues of: Pentlands Community Centre Oxgangs Neighbourhood Centre Oxgangs Library Oxgangs Care

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