Report Provides an Important Source of Baseline Information and Reference That Can Be Updated on a Regular Basis

Carrick The best place to live, work, visit & play

Contents

Foreword 3

Executive Summary 4

Introduction 5

Chapter 1 – Context 7 1.1 Socio-economic Context of Carrick 1.2 Measuring Rural Deprivation 1.3 Rural Deprivation in South Ayrshire 1.4 The Rural Voice

Chapter 2 – The Development of this Strategy 13 2.1 Carrick Economic Development Strategy 2.2 About Horizons 2.3 National, Regional & Global Context 2.4 Strategy Development & Methodology 2.5 Strategy Implementation 2.6 Schematic Outline of the CCCF’s Strategy Process

Chapter 3 – Consultation 19 3.1 Consultation Process 3.2 Results of Consultations

Chapter 4 – Aims & Objectives 31 A) Improving Access to Affordable Housing B) Developing Employment & Wealth via Tourism C) Improving Enterprise, Innovation & Employment D) Developing Active, Engaged & Involved Communities E) Improving Access to Services & Local Facilities F) Tackling ‘Out Migration’ of Young People

Chapter 5 – Action Plan for Items A–F Above 47

Actions to be Taken Forward by Partner Agencies 51

CARRICK COMMUNITY COUNCIL’S FORUM

I commend the Carrick Community Councils’ Forum not only for producing this Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan but also for coming together in the first place to work co-operatively for the improvement of Carrick.

The timing is good: • New relationships between local and central Government • New structures within South Ayrshire’s Community Planning Partnership • A renewed emphasis on working with communities as partners in, rather than merely recipients of, services and facilities • New funding streams targeted at rural areas all bode well for the future of our rural communities in Carrick and more widely throughout South Ayrshire.

This Economic Development Strategy has been produced following extensive consultation and research in the area. It takes account of, and builds on, detailed consultations in villages such as Barr and Barrhill and on the local knowledge and contacts of Community Councillors.

There are clear links between this Strategy and higher-level documents such as South Ayrshire Council’s Vision document, Securing the Future, the South Ayrshire Community Plan, A Better Future Together, and the Ayrshire LEADER programme Local Action Group’s Local Development Strategy.

I would encourage all stakeholders, including the partners in the South Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership and in the LEADER programme, to support the implementation of the Carrick Economic Development Strategy wherever possible.

Together we can help to make a reality of the Forum’s vision of Carrick as: The best place to live, work, visit & play

Signed:

Hugh Hunter Leader of South Ayrshire Council October 2008

page 3 Executive Summary

Carrick is a historic area, now part of South Ayrshire. It has a rich heritage in terms of history, culture, architecture, geology, flora and fauna. The area has a population of around 20,700 people, roughly 18.5% of the Local Authority’s population and 63% of its rural population.

This Economic Development Strategy has been explicitly designed to dovetail both with local village-level strategies and higher-level strategies including the Ayrshire LEADER programme and various policies, funding programmes, and strategies of the Scottish Government.

The document sets out the vision of the Carrick Community Councils’ Forum for Carrick to be ‘The best place to live, work, visit & play’. It identifies six priority areas as requiring ongoing focus and a step change to improve delivery for the benefit of the communities and businesses of the area. The priority aims are: • Improving access to affordable housing • Developing employment and wealth via tourism • Improving enterprise, innovation and employment • Developing active, engaged and involved communities • Improving access to services and local facilities • Tackling ‘out migration’ of young people

These priorities have been identified through an extensive range of consultation processes with the local communities. They also address the key priorities of South Ayrshire Council’s Community Plan and will help in the implementation of the Scottish Government’s Economic Development Plan.

A key intended outcome of the strategy is to align resource allocation and the work of partner agencies towards the priorities identified. Other key objectives will be to support regional and local delivery of services and to play a valuable role in influencing local policies to ensure they work to address rural issues.

This Strategy covers the period 2008 to 2013. It will be reviewed on a regular basis. The Carrick Community Councils’ Forum (CCCF) will become the delivery body and will work with the key partners as necessary to effect change within the local area. These key partners with whom the CCCF will consult and co-operate include, for example, South Ayrshire Council, Job Centre Plus, VisitScotland and the NHS.

The period of the Strategy coincides with the introduction of the LEADER programme in Ayrshire and with a massive growth in Community Benefit funding arising from windfarm developments. These new resources, coupled to the leadership that can be provided by the CCCF, offer huge opportunities to transform the future of Carrick.

The Strategy is complemented with a set of Action Planning templates. The details will be added and monitored by sub-groups to be established within the CCCF. A separate Evidence Base Report provides an important source of baseline information and reference that can be updated on a regular basis. Extracts from the Evidence Report are available, via email from Horizons at [email protected].

The Carrick Community Councils’ Forum (CCCF) was established in July 2006. As the name suggests, it is a Forum for representatives from the Community Councils of the Carrick area. Its role is to work with and on behalf of local communities to share information and knowledge of what is going on and to contribute to improvements in the area.

To fulfil its role, the CCCF has adopted the following objectives: • To contribute to the relief of poverty in South Ayrshire • To promote the Economic, Cultural, Environmental and Social well-being of the Carrick area of South Ayrshire • To raise funds by means of events, donations, legacies, grants or other methods • To raise awareness of issues affecting the communities of Carrick by consulting, liaising and gathering views of those communities

The aspirations of the CCCF are captured in their vision of Carrick being: The best place to live, work, visit and play

By producing and implementing this strategy, the CCCF will achieve a more co-ordinated and planned approach to service delivery, community support and the future development of the whole of Carrick. Creating this ‘bigger picture’ will help to empower individual local communities by providing a context in which their aspirations will be more fundable and more achievable.

Most importantly, the CCCF is about Action! And so, perhaps the most important part of this document is the action planning section at the end.

The approach adopted by the CCCF is to address six priority aims and use this strategy to identify and prioritise objectives against each aim. The Forum, and individual Community Councils, will then map out and implement specific actions to help to achieve each objective.

Key elements of the Forum’s ongoing role will be to: • Assist individual CCs to identify and implement actions • Implement actions best taken at the CCCF level •Raise awareness amongst other stakeholders of the strategy and the actions being implemented • Monitor progress • Facilitate an evaluation during 2011 • Produce a revised action plan taking account of the findings of the evaluation

The CCCF recognises that it cannot implement the strategy in a vacuum. A key test of the effectiveness of the Forum, and a key factor in the success of this Strategy, will be the extent to which the Forum can influence the policies and actions of key stakeholders, including South Ayrshire Council.

1.1 Socio-economic Context of Carrick

Carrick is a rural area. Definitions of ‘rural’ vary in different contexts as discussed in point 1.4 below. The definition used by the CCCF is the one used by the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) to decide eligibility for funding under its various streams. Under the SRDP, all settlements with a population under 10,000 are classed as rural. Therefore, all of Carrick, (indeed all of South Ayrshire outside of the three large settlements of Ayr, Prestwick and Troon), qualifies.

Carrick does not equate precisely to multi-member wards or other statistical geographies and so it is difficult to be precise about its population. The CCCF has used the intermediate geography available via Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics to compile the following data:

Geography Population Carrick South 5,763 Girvan Glendoune 3,392 Girvan Ailsa 3,394 Maybole 4,770 Carrick North 3,399 CARRICK TOTAL 20,718 South Ayrshire 111,670

With a population of around 20,700, Carrick is home to around 18.5% of the total population of South Ayrshire. About half of the people live in the two towns of Maybole (4770) and Girvan (6786), with the rest spread out across small villages and farms. Approximately a quarter of adults and children in the area live in households in receipt of key benefits and just over 8% of the working-age population are receiving unemployment or incapacity benefit. These figures are higher than the average for South Ayrshire.

Three other factors merit comment:

Firstly, the nature of employment in Carrick is strikingly different from that in the urbanised areas to the north. The dominant areas of employment are manufacturing (25%), the public sector (31%), and agriculture, (8%). Compared to South Ayrshire as a whole, manufacturing work is much more important, reflecting the fact that other jobs, such as those in the retail, finance and communications sectors, have flowed more slowly into Carrick than into the larger settlements in South Ayrshire. As a result, many of the jobs in the area are low-skilled, low-paid and seasonal. In real terms, incomes are over 10% lower than in Ayr, Prestwick and Troon.

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 7 Secondly, the official unemployment figures in the area may give a false impression. A higher than average proportion of the working-age population in Carrick is recorded as being inactive, because of either family commitments or permanent ill health. Whether this is by volition or in response to poor employment opportunities is not clear. In addition, the proportion of the workforce that is self-employed is much higher than in South Ayrshire as a whole. The significance of this is that it is notoriously difficult to assess how far this group of people is fully employed and how far it includes those just getting by on odd jobs.

Finally, the November 2007 figures provided by the Office for National Statistics show that the proportion of the working age population in Carrick that is in receipt of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Benefits is 18.26%. This compares to 16.6% for South Ayrshire and 16.2% for Scotland as a whole. As can be seen in the table below, there are variations between different parts of Carrick that will need to be taken into account when designing programmes to address the area’s needs.

Geography Working age No. in receipt of DWP % in receipt of DWP Population benefits / Nov 07 benefits / Nov 07 South Carrick 2452 360 14.7 Girvan Glendoune 2177 525 24.1 Girvan Ailsa 1931 365 18.9 North Carrick & Maybole East 2323 415 17.9 North Carrick & Maybole West 2480 410 16.5 CARRICK TOTAL 11,363 2075 18.26

1.2 Measuring Rural Deprivation

Peter Townsend, Professor of International Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Emeritus Professor of Social Policy in the University of Bristol, summarised deprivation in the following quote:

“People are relatively deprived if they cannot obtain, at all or sufficiently, the conditions of life – that is, the diets, amenities, standards and services – which allow them to play the roles, participate in the relationships and follow the customary behaviour which is expected of them by virtue of their membership of society. If they lack or are denied resources to obtain access to these conditions of life and so fulfil membership of society, they may be said to be in poverty.” Townsend, 1993: The International Analysis of Poverty p.36

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 8 In general, but not for LEADER purposes, rural Scotland is defined as settlements with a population of less than 3,000. However, if accessibility to larger settlements is taken into account, this can be divided into:

Accessible rural: those with a less than 30 minute drive time to the nearest settlement with a population of 10,000 or more.1

Remote rural: those with a greater than 30 minute drive time to the nearest settlement with a population of 10,000 or more.

The full urban/rural classification in Scotland is: Large urban areas Population over 125,000 Other urban areas Population of 10,000–125,000 Accessible small towns Population of 3,000–10,000 (within a 30 minute drive of a settlement with a population of 10,000) Remote small towns Population of 3,000–10,000 (over a 30 minute drive of a settlement with a population of 10,000) Accessible rural Population less than 3,000 (within a 30 minute drive of a settlement with a population of 10,000) Remote rural Population less than 3,000 (over a 30 minute drive of a settlement with a population of 10,000)

Previously, the 2006 Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation areas of deprivation, tended to focus on the urban population. As a result, funding for services was more focussed within the urban areas.

Research has concluded that measuring deprivation is a multi-dimensional concept. A ‘one size fits all’ approach often does not equate within the rural dimension i.e. any approach to tackling deprivation issues has to have a multi-layered approach. Recent publications identify “construction of isolation, peripherality and accessibility” measures as appropriate indicators of rurality. “Distance to nearest points of service provision – accessibility and isolation are further indicators”, which should be taken into account when measuring rural deprivation.2

The Scotland Rural Development Programme, including the LEADER funding stream, is applicable to all of South Ayrshire’s rural population including all of Carrick. This programme coupled to other resources, such as community benefit funds from windfarm developments, offers real opportunities to transform Carrick. The CCCF has an important role as a catalyst by influencing local authority and other stakeholders’ policy and budgeting to ensure resources are allocated to the rural communities of the area.

1 Rural Scotland Key Facts, 2007, Scottish Government 2 Accounting for Rural Deprivation, Pion Economics, see www.highland.gov.uk Rural Deprivation and Service Needs in South Ayrshire – SA Community Planning Partnership

According to the Ayrshire LEADER Local Development Strategy (May 2008), South Ayrshire’s rural population numbers 32,648. To put that another way, just over 29.2% of South Ayrshire’s population live in settlements with fewer than 10,000 residents. As indicated above, Carrick has a population of around 20,700 meaning 63% of South Ayrshire’s rural population live in Carrick.

The majority of Carrick’s population live in ‘accessible rural areas’, i.e. in areas that are within a 30 minute drive of the main urban settlements of Ayr, Troon and Prestwick. Fewer than 15% live more than 30 minutes away from the main towns in the area.

South Ayrshire Council’s Vision document – Securing the Future for South Ayrshire, published in 2008, identifies economic growth in its rural areas as one of four key challenges. It notes, “Trying to ensure that the rural parts of South Ayrshire share in the area’s economic growth is a major issue. It is important that rural areas share in the benefits of economic growth, in terms of employment, housing, public transport and access to services. In particular, as public and retail services migrate to urban areas, it is vital to ensure that rural communities are not disadvantaged in terms of access to these services.”3

With over 60% of South Ayrshire’s rural population, meeting that challenge in Carrick will be crucial to achieving the Local Authority’s vision.

3 Securing the Future for South Ayrshire – South Ayrshire Council, 2008

Rural Scotland accounts for 95% of the land of Scotland and 18% of the country’s 5 million people. At a local level, the rural population, as defined for LEADER purposes, accounts for 29% of the total population of South Ayrshire. Most people living in rural Scotland are more likely to be self-employed, but have lower incomes. Even so, they believe they enjoy a better quality of life.

Within the Highlands and Islands area, the rural communities are represented and supported by a number of agencies/advocates such as the Convention of Highlands and Islands, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, HISEZ. Unfortunately, this is not replicated in the south of Scotland. Scottish Enterprise has no specific rural development role, with the remit previously falling on Communities Scotland, which focused mainly on areas identified within the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation – often excluding the rural communities. This experience is highlighted in the Ayrshire LAG Local Development Strategy and Business Plan which states:

“Communities Scotland has not had a great deal of involvement with rural communities although they have run a number of small funding programmes aimed at housing associations and community owned assets.”

As some of the remit of Communities Scotland will now be devolved into the local authority, this creates an opportunity for the CCCF to work in partnership with South Ayrshire Council. In doing so, they can influence and shape a new and sustainable approach to rural policy. This pro-active Strategy/Action Plan will provide the basis for a partnership approach, which would help to build capacity at a local level, in order to tackle rural issues to best effect within South Ayrshire.

2.1 Carrick Economic Development Strategy

This document has been prepared by Horizons on behalf of the Carrick Community Councils’ Forum. It sets out a plan for the sustainable, equitable, healthy growth and development of Carrick’s economy to 2013. It is anticipated that this Strategy and, in particular, the associated action plans will be regularly reviewed and will be fully updated following an evaluation during 2011.

This is a Strategy for the whole of the Carrick area. It will be underpinned by village level action plans that have been or will be developed by Community Councils in partnership with their individual communities. To achieve success, the CCCF will adopt a partnership approach to a number of projects and ideas. The Community Councils and wider community will need to utilise both existing and new resources that will become available during the term of the strategy. They will also need to develop new partnerships with a variety of agencies.

The document has been set out to reflect an analysis of the issues facing the communities of Carrick. It attempts to plot a realistic action plan to further the ambitions of the communities for the growth and development of the area. The detailed action plans that flow from this strategy will be based on SMART principles.

That is, the actions will be defined in terms that are: • Specific • Measurable • Achieva ble • Relevant • Timebound

Carrick has the potential to be an exemplary sustainable rural community, based on three balanced and interlocking elements: • Strong and diverse economic growth • Social inclusion •Fundamental improvements in environmental management

The local community economic development agency was established in 2002 to deliver the Girvan and South Carrick Economic Development Plan. The main thrust of Horizons’ mission was to support sustainable economic growth and development within Girvan and South Carrick in four key areas: • Tourism development • Skills into Employment • Infrastructure • Business development/Social Enterprise Development

Since 2005, Horizons has been broadening its geographical focus to include all of Carrick and a review of previous economic development activity has informed this new Carrick-wide strategy. The organisation has established ‘Ailsa Horizons Ltd’ to carry forward its work across all of rural South Ayrshire.

2.3 National, Regional & Global Context

In the Scottish Government Economic Strategy, November 2007, Alex Salmond, First Minister, commented; “Scotland has real strength in the most vital factor for modern economies – the human capital offered by our greatest asset, Scotland’s people. We need to build on this strength and, importantly, make more of it in broadening Scotland’s comparative advantage in the global economy.”

It is important to consider Carrick in its national, regional and global context, to ensure it has a strategic fit with the ‘bigger picture’ and is not working in isolation. Therefore, any plans for the economic rejuvenation of the Carrick area should take account and link with the Scottish Government and South Ayrshire Council’s priorities.

The Scottish Government’s recently published reports Principles and Priorities: The Government's Programme for Scotland (September 2007) and their Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007–13 – The Strategic Plan hi ghlight their overall purpose 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.” These documents define the Scottish Government’s Strategic Objectives in terms of Scotland being:

Wealthier and Fairer – Enabling businesses and people to increase their wealth and more people to share fairly in that wealth.

Smarter – Expanding opportunities for Scots to succeed from nurture through to life long learning, ensuring higher and more widely shared achievements.

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 14 Healthier – Helping people to sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and faster access to health care.

Safer and Stronger – Helping local communities to flourish, becoming stronger, safer places to live, offering improved opportunities and a better quality of life.

Greener – Improving Scotland's natural and built environment and the sustainable use and enjoyment of it. 4

In a local context South Ayrshire Council’s vision is to ‘Establish South Ayrshire as the most dynamic, inclusive and sustainable community in Scotland’ with four key themes of: • Prosperous, Learning and Achieving • Healthy, Safe and Caring • Clean, Attractive and Sustainable • Ambitious, Forward-looking and Responsive

Globally, Carrick’s contribution should seek to ensure that through it’s rejuvenation, it powers and supports the economy of Scotland as a whole by helping to boost competitiveness within the European Union, by providing skilled workers and a tourism destination that can compete within the global market.

The Carrick Economic Development Strategy fully supports all of these statements by addressing the key issues of exclusion, deprivation and development currently facing the rural communities of Scotland.

The Action Plan in this Strategy is intended to support these roles – helping to achieve the Government’s objectives of ensuring overall national prosperity and reducing regional economic growth disparities. It is also aimed at ensuring that Carrick’s growth is sustainable growth – minimising adverse environmental and economic impacts.

2.4 Strategy Development & Methodology

It is important to note that the contents of the Strategy and Action Plan have been the result of extensive community research and involvement, to ensure community ownership and ‘buy-in’. The CCCF Strategy and Action Plan has utilised an adaptation of the Horizons’ Appreciative inquiry, Participative Evaluation and Community Consultation (APECC) model. This model offers a flexible approach, which facilitates the involvement of the community whenever possible, combined with the benefits to be gained from expertise/knowledge offered through a consultant.

The combination of this participative method, which mobilised the community to identify issues, problems and future aspirations and making use of the methodology of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to build

4 See also Scottish Government Economic Strategy, 2007

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 15 on the core strengths of the area, has resulted in a well thought out document. It is more readily accepted and more importantly has produced a Strategy and Action Plan that will be achievable, realistic and owned by the community.

The consultation results were combined with direct quantitative and qualitative primary research, and a secondary review of related publications, local and national strategies and relevant data in the identification of the key priorities for the Carrick area.

In its simplest terms, the AI exercise takes account of or ‘appreciates’ what is already implemented and working in an area, rather than focusing on fixing problems. It mobilises strategic change by focusing on the core strengths i.e., within Carrick, the voluntary sector contribution, the community, existing service provision, environment, then using those strengths to reshape the future.

Carrick’s key strengths (as highlighted by a range of community consultations) are: • Environment, culture and tourism potential • Community funding arising from windfarm developments • Community • Airport links • Agency support • Current service provision •Youth

Making good use of these strengths will be vital in achieving the key priorities of the Action Plan: • Improving access to affordable housing • Developing employment and wealth via tourism • Improving enterprise, innovation and employment • Developing active, engaged and involved communities • Improving access to services and local facilities • Tackling ‘out migration’ of young people

2.5 Strategy Implementation

As indicated in the Introduction to this strategy, the approach adopted by the CCCF is to address each of these six priority aims by using this strategy to identify and prioritise objectives against each.

The Forum, and individual Community Councils, will then map out and implement specific actions to help to achieve each objective. Progress will be monitored regularly and reports will be circulated within Carrick and via the Regeneration Partnership with the South Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership.

Where do we want Carrick the best place to The ‘vision’ to get to? live, work, visit and play

How do we get from Detailed actions Monitor, Evaluate here to there? & revise actions

Broad objectives Ongoing role for CCCF

Priority action areas

Where are we now? Consultation, research, analysis – the evidence base

Scope of economic development strategy

3.1 Consultation Process

As a first stage in developing this strategy, the CCCF sought to identify the area’s current position. Horizons initially consulted communities by taking the forum members through a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. A number of workshops took place with the CCCF, which stimulated conversation and debate with the community council representatives, resulting in a list for each topic. This document was concluded after further consultation with community councils. Individual Community Council members were asked to highlight their top priorities, which were then scored to achieve a final priority list for each section.

This was followed up with a postal survey to a randomly selected 674 households throughout Carrick i.e. 10% of the households listed on the electoral roll of the area. This survey produced a 20% response rate.

As an economic development strategy that will shape the future of Carrick, consideration must be given to the youth of Carrick. The CCCF decided to target the youth as, historically, this group is not always well represented in community surveys. (This also proved to be the case in our own random survey (see 3.2.3). With this in mind, further consultation then took place within both Girvan and Carrick Academies. Over 800 students were surveyed to ascertain their likes and dislikes of the area, whether they would stay in the area after leaving school, and what changes should be made to their communities.5

Finally, individual local Community Councils, in some cases with support from Horizons, conducted a series of community audits/appraisals within Barrhill, Barr and Pinwherry & Pinmore Community Council areas. The results of these community consultations were added to the other research as part of the evidence base for this Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan.

The formulation of the final strategy and action plan was agreed after several drafts were presented to the CCCF and taken back to the relevant community councils for consideration and approval.

3.2 Results of Consultations

Full analysis reports and summaries for all the surveys are available in the Evidence Report.

5 Full details of the survey findings are available in the Evidence Report

The key issues identified by the CCCF and by the individual Community Councils in Carrick are listed below.

The key strengths highlighted for the area were: • Environment, culture • Airport links • Community • Windfarm developments

Carrick’s weaknesses identified were: • Infrastructure, e.g. streetscape is run down • Low aspirations of the communities • Limited facilities – especially for children • Lack of integrated transport

The opportunities identified were: • A range of projects currently ongoing within the Carrick area • Tourism • Airport links • Funding & partnership working

The threats considered were: • The Scottish Government agenda – ‘urban regeneration’ • Youth leaving the area • Windfarm developments • Reduction in funding

Youth Survey

A ‘Likes and Dislikes’ survey was conducted by Horizons with both Academies in the area agreeing to take part, with the help of the Head Teacher and the assistance of class teachers. A summary of the findings is given below.

Demographics 847 Pupils from Girvan Academy and Carrick Academy

Gender breakdown Male 403 47.52% Female 444 52.36% 847

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 20 Analysis of responses from the schools survey reveals some interesting results. 51% of the pupils surveyed consider their town or village a good place to live.

Environment, place, family, friends and community were the main reasons why pupils liked where they stayed. The fact that the environment and place features so prominently seems to reflect a national figure, where 78% (remote rural) and 65% (accessible rural) of people rate their neighbourhood as a very good place to live, compared to 49% in the rest of Scotland.

Further analysis of the results shows that issues of safety and low crime rate become bigger concerns for students, as they grow older. Infrastructure and facilities are especially important to younger age groups, but environment and friends/family more significant in older years.

Sample Questions

Do you think you’ll stay in the area when you leave school/college? Over 45% of pupils who answered this question would leave the area for better job and educational opportunities. 20% cited improved infrastructure and facilities as reasons for moving elsewhere.

Nevertheless, 35% of pupils who answered indicated that they would remain in the area and it should be noted that this is perhaps a higher figure than might be expected. It may indicate that individuals are not simply influenced by obvious motivational factors, such as jobs and facilities when determining where they would like to live. This is confirmed when the responses to a later question are analysed – when it is clear that family, friends and community are the most important factor which young people take into account when considering whether they will stay in a community. This result remains constant throughout years 1–6.

If there were one thing you could change about your area, what would it be? Pupils were quite clear on what they would like to change about their communities with 74% citing lack of facilities and things to do as their main area of discontent.

This was a concern, which remained consistent again through years 1–6 with more shops/youth and leisure facilities rated as the top improvements wanted. A small but significant number of pupils indicated that “neds, drunks and junkies” were an issue for their communities. This mirrors the concerns raised earlier in the survey where these groups also featured highly.

South Ayrshire Council’s Youth Strategy’s key aims are to tackle youth issues by delivering a broad range of interventions, in partnership with other agencies, the voluntary sector and the community. The issues throughout South Ayrshire link directly with the concerns highlighted by the students in the surveys carried out within Girvan and Carrick Academies.

South Ayrshire Council’s proposed Actions by 2010 are:

To enable young people to benefit through their participation in: • Increased opportunities and increased access to existing youth, leisure, cultural and recreational opportunities • Local young people’s forums, contributing to and shaping local action plans – in targeted areas • South Ayrshire Youth Forum contributing to Strategic Planning and the Community Planning process – structures operational by 2008 • Young Scot, developing local information, negotiating local discounts and making use of the National Entitlement card – all Secondary schools and areas eligible for particular support under the South Ayrshire Regeneration Outcome Agreement (ROA) • The continuation of the Recreational Access Pass (RAP) card to ensure affordable access to leisure facilities – increase in young people’s use in seven targeted areas • Established clubs, groups and activities that they have influenced – 15 new groups, clubs or activities • Accreditation for participating in informal learning opportunity – 25% increase each year • The Council and its partners to undertake an impact assessment on how proposed changes in delivery and policy would affect young people 6

6 Youth Strategy 2007 – 2010, South Ayrshire Council

Demographic Data

The age range represented in the survey responses is representative and shows a close relationship with the known demographics of Carrick as a whole.

79% of respondents in the survey were aged 45 or over and 52% aged 60 and over. This picture of an ageing population is reflected nationally, with a significantly lower percentage population within the age bands 15–34 and a higher population in the age bands 40–69, however other research has shown that South Ayrshire has a higher than average number of older residents. 7

There are two main areas, which are anomalous in the responses to the survey. The 18-24 age range in general, and males in the 25–44 age range in particular, are very under represented. It is impossible to state whether this reflects an absence of these individuals in the survey sample/general population or whether it indicates a lack of engagement in the survey process. The ratio of male to females represented in our sample closely reflects that found in South Ayrshire as a whole.8

Movement of Population

Information from these results shows that our survey reflects a fairly stable population with almost 70% having stayed in the area for over 16 years. 92% of those surveyed also indicated that no one in their household had moved out of the area in the last year.

The reasons why people move into this area are evenly spread. However, around 48% of those who answered this question indicated that family played a part in their move to the area. This could indicate that the area is seen as family friendly.

Reason for location in the area Future development 1%

21% 27% 15% 65% 19% 48% 16% as a working community came with family as a retirement community 17% employment 9% 12% as a commuter community retirement as a tourist centre family connections to stay as it is other none of these

7 Data on Deprivation in Rural Areas and Small Towns in South Ayrshire, South Ayrshire Council, 2008 8 2001 Census

The predominant development highlighted by the community was tourism. This corroborates with the SWOT analysis, which highlights culture/environment/airport links as its key strengths. It would be fair to conclude that the creation of jobs through the development of the tourism product for the area is likely to be strongly supported by the communities.

More jobs and small business development were not far behind in their level of support, as well as, small-scale industrial workshops.

These responses are reinforced by the pattern of responses with respect to future development desires. Predominantly respondents wanted to see Carrick to develop as a working community and as a tourist centre. This set of responses corroborates, with some of the local community appraisals that have taken place over the past year, with a similar trend towards a working community (not a commuting community) and development of a tourist destination.

Transport

The majority of respondents (80%) cited the car as their primary means of transport, and these respondents have indicated they do not have problems getting to and from their town/village. However, further analysis shows that the respondents that have occasional transport difficulties have highlighted that the lack of an integrated public transport network is the main cause of their transport problems. This may create problems within both accessible and remote rural communities, having access to key services i.e. GP, Post Office, Schools and shopping facilities.

It is recognised that, in general, a lower percentage of people in rural areas find that services are convenient. This is particularly so for accessible rural areas. However, illogical as it may seem, there are services such as the Post Office and the doctors’ surgery, to which those in remote rural areas have tended to have more convenient access than those in the rest of Scotland.9

At a local level, the ‘Carrick Connector’ and ‘Travel Connections’ supplement the more traditional transport services. These are valuable local services but awareness of them is patchy. Also, many people find the process for registering to access the services cumbersome. An awareness campaign, coupled to assistance with registering, to market these services throughout the Carrick area might be beneficial. It would also be beneficial to investigate other rural transport initiatives that could complement the current additional services, whilst at the same time lobbying Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, local authority, and rail services for improvements in the availability and integration of services.

9 Rural Scotland Key Facts 2007, Scottish Government

A need for family housing is the biggest priority identified by respondents in the survey with 41% of respondents also indicating a need for more Local Authority Housing. However, nationally, figures show that more people own their homes in rural Scotland, rather than renting from Local Authorities/Scottish Homes or Housing Associations and Co-operatives. The results of this local survey reflect a higher need within the more populated towns of Girvan and Maybole.

Figures from housing charity Shelter showed that nearly 154,000 people were registered on housing waiting lists across Scotland in 2006, which could explain this statistic. Soaring house prices and the tendency for private builders to concentrate on flats and smaller homes could also explain why only 28% of respondents see a need for more of this type of development.

Single accommodation was not highlighted as a high priority. However, the random survey had a poor response from the 18–24 age group, which may be the reason for the lack of concern over this issue. Equally, as can be seen in the graph below, there tends to be a lower percentage population of this age group within the rural areas throughout Scotland, so this may just reflect the national trend. Nationally, remote rural and accessible rural areas have lower percentages of single adult households. Rural Scotland as a whole also has a higher percentage of households with ‘older adults’ that is, two adults with one or both of pensionable age. 10

Differences in age distribution of population in rural areas relative to rest of Scotland, 2006 n o i t

a Age of population, five year age band 3% u l p

o 55–59 60–64 65–69 2% p 0 5 9

n 50–54 i r 1% r e 40–44 45–49 e e 70–74 v d 5–9 10–14 75–79 c

o 80–84 85–89 n 35–39 n u 15–19 20–24 25–29 30–34 0% e r e f

f -1% i d

% -2%

-3% remote rural

-4% accessible rural

10 Rural Scotland Key Facts 2007, Scottish Government

Housing in rural areas in Scotland is characterised by higher prices, far fewer first-time buyers, lower levels of social housing and much higher proportions of second homes than in urban areas, according to the latest annual Bank of Scotland Rural Housing Review.

• Less affordable housing: The average property price in rural areas is 5.8 times average annual earnings compared with a ratio of 5.2 in urban areas • Higher average property prices: The average level of house prices in rural areas is £177,007. This is 12% higher than the average urban house price of £157,519. • Rapid house price inflation: House prices in rural areas have increased, on average, by 112% in the last five years. This compares to a 107% rise in urban areas • Fewer first-time buyers: There are far fewer first-time buyers in rural areas, accounting for only 18% of all buyers compared with 31% in urban areas • Less social housing: In rural areas, 22% of the housing stock is social housing compared with 31% in urban areas • More second homes: Second homes account for 3.5% of housing in rural areas. This is seven times higher than in urban areas where only 0.5% of the housing stock is second homes

Martin Ellis, Chief Economist at Bank of Scotland, said: "Those living in rural areas face particularly tough housing market conditions. In general, higher average property prices, together with lower earnings, mean that housing is less affordable than in urban areas. Many young people, in particular, are therefore finding it tough to find a foot on the property ladder. This difficult situation is compounded by lower levels of provision of social housing in rural areas." 11

The majority of respondents in the Carrick survey would support developments that would meet the housing needs of local people. It is apparent, too, that local businesses, schools, and so on, need populations to be maintained if not expanded. On the other hand, there can be strong resistance to new housing developments in small villages. Added to this resistance, there are restrictions imposed by the local planning processes.

11 Third Annual Bank of Scotland Scottish Rural Housing Review, August 2007 see http://www.hbosplc.com/media

Less than 50% of the respondents considered their retail facilities as good/reasonable, however most would like a variety of shops rather than more, and improved appearance of existing shops. However, if Carrick is to progress towards a tourism destination, then shop front improvements and quality of shops should be targeted as part of an overall action plan for the area. There may be an argument, too, for exploring ways in which shop owners might co-operate with each other and with local communities to improve their viability.

Improvements to the Area

Perhaps not surprisingly, given the amount of car owners/users in the survey, improvements to roads and transport scored highest amongst respondents. The problem of poor quality roads and damage to roads is exacerbated by the heavy timber traffic. Improvements to road surfaces were the major concerns noted but speeding traffic and poor transport links also featured.

The appearance of Carrick scored high. However, respondents were particularly concerned about littering, both within towns and in the countryside, in general, as this was deemed to give a bad impression of the area. Similarly, 10% and 13% respectively in remote and accessible rural areas of Scotland, state that rubbish or litter lying around is a problem.

A lack of facilities for both residents and visitors also featured highly, especially within the youth survey (20% cited improved infrastructure and facilities as a reason for moving elsewhere).

Final Question

The final question to the communities was “If you could give a phrase that would sum up Carrick, what would it be?” After considerable analysis of all the phrases issued, one response seemed to sum up the general view

“A jewel in need of a polish”

Local surveys were performed within Barrhill, Barr and Pinwherry and Pinmore Community Council areas (these areas were not included in the random Carrick survey, as the communities had already been surveyed). For the purposes of this document, we have grouped them under the same headings as the random survey, which was performed throughout Carrick. A summary of all surveys/appraisals results is given below:

Demographics and Socio Economics of these CC areas

Due to the differing methods of data capture and surveying methods, it is difficult to summarise the age ranges and population movement within these areas. Therefore, the assumption has been made, for the purposes of this document, that the population trends in these areas would reflect that of the rest of the South Ayrshire’s rural communities and the statistics available for the rest of rural Scotland. That is, one of an ageing population, with a higher proportion within the 40–69 age group.

Future Developments

Results from the community surveys tend to reflect the findings of the survey. Tourism, small business development, transport/road improvements and enhanced facilities for residents were also the main thrust of requested future developments within the communities.

Our results produced what at first appears to be a further anomaly – 96% of respondents within the overall Carrick survey did not envisage becoming self-employed in the near future. In spite of this, within the local surveys small industrial units/small business development was highlighted as an area that should be encouraged. As two of these communities would be classed as remote rural areas, this may be a reflection on the need for being self-employed in these areas. Within the national context, small businesses account for a high proportion of the employment in both remote rural areas (84%) and accessible rural areas (60%).

Transport

In common with most rural communities, residents seem to rely predominantly on private vehicles for transport; while transport infrastructure was highlighted as an issue, as previously stated, with particular reference to the improved connectivity and integration of services.

Unsurprisingly, given data from other national surveys, affordable housing should be encouraged. In some surveys the need for future sheltered housing was highlighted, due to the ageing population of the rural areas. Satisfying the perceived need for affordable housing could also encourage and enable the population of young people who are migrating out of the area to either stay, or return in future years.

Facilities

Longer opening times and more variety of retail outlets was highlighted, with one community suggesting that a community bus service to the more populated towns would improve access to services such as – library, leisure services, local events, etc.

Improved facilities for young people could also stimulate young people to become involved in their local community, and to participate in healthier living pursuits, which would result in a reduction in anti-social behaviour and obesity levels. Studies on physical activity by Armstrong et al in 2001 found that in Scotland 8.6% of three-to-four-year-olds and 15% of those in third year of Secondary school were obese (very overweight). The UK reference standard is 5%. 12

Encouraging more use of the opportunities presented by Carrick’s countryside and improving recreational facilities, promoting opportunities to network with peers and opportunities for physical activities within the communities, could all help to address these areas for both young and old.

12 Let’s Make Scotland More Active, Scottish Government.

Vision and Priorities

The vision of the Carrick Community Council Forum for 2013, is of a rural area which is ‘The best place to live, work, visit & play’ which will: • Have a thriving rural economy • Be a key Scottish tourist destination • Have active and involved communities • Provide quality services, accessible to all

Achieving this vision will require delivery of the key priorities of: • Improving access to affordable housing • Developing employment and wealth via tourism • Improving enterprise, innovation and employment • Developing active, engaged and involved communities • Improving access to services and local facilities • Tackling ‘out migration’ of young people

A key intention of this Strategy is to align with other strategies e.g. LEADER and with local plans currently being developed within many of the Carrick community council areas. By linking this Strategy with local plans, the Carrick communities can play a valuable role in influencing local authority policies to ensure that they work to address rural issues.

As indicated previously, this Strategy document does not attempt to specify detailed actions. Rather, the Strategy identifies the key priorities and a range of objectives for each priority. It then categorises the objectives as being either ones that can be addressed by the CCCF itself or ones that will need to be addressed by partner agencies, including Horizons.

The remainder of this section focuses on each of the key priorities in turn. In each case, the Strategy gives some background to the issues. Following this summary of each of the priorities, the Strategy concludes with a series of action plan templates that will be worked up to detail what is to be done, by whom, the timelines and so on.

Importantly, this detailed action planning will include work to further quantify the issues and to set realistic targets against which progress can be measured.

Introduction

The average age of the population in rural areas of South Ayrshire is increasing more rapidly than in urban areas as young people often can’t afford to stay in the area, or to settle in the area to work, live and set up a family. Inward migration tends to involve older people and accelerates house price increases – leading to further difficulties for local young people entering the housing market.

Speaking to the Scottish Housing Supply Task Force in November 2007, Susan Torrance of Highland Housing Alliance, summarised the issues facing housing in rural Scotland as follows:

• Lack of people in rural areas of the age and with the skills to create economic prosperity • Lack of houses to attract those people • Land supply – lack of proper investigation of deliverability of sites included in plans, lack of engagement with private sector, housing is often an afterthought used to pay for other development • Lack of community desire for development often leads to challenges over sites • Lack of recognition that the ‘community’ includes those who have no voice or no house already. Incoming population can often be behind campaigns against new development • Conflict between environmental protection/preservation of ‘scenery’ and needs of people • Planning and building control departments are under-resourced • Section 75/PAN 74 quota policies have had a big impact in delivering affordable housing • Appropriate design should include consideration of quality and cost effectiveness, not just stone and slate replicas of the past • SEPA and Scottish Water have made real strides to work with communities, developers and local authorities to identify new solutions

Key strategies with which the CCCF Strategy must relate, and in some cases seek improvements, include:

• South Ayrshire Council’s Local Housing Strategy (2001), which defined a range of initiatives including

– Building 30 new affordable rented houses per year in rural areas over the planning period

– Encouraging self build in rural areas – target one plot per year for five years

– Maintaining empty property database so that grants can be targeted to bring properties back into use – on-going over the planning period

– Developing a partnership with rural landowners to develop projects to assist in ensuring best use of all available stock

• The Scottish Executive document Rural Scotland, A New Approach , which provides a national rural policy framework. It recognises the requirement for high quality affordable housing in rural areas, including the need for new provision. South Ayrshire Council has adopted both this framework and the principles of Scottish Planning Policy 3: Planning for Housing.

Aim

To ensure that Carrick has appropriate and available affordable housing, where people from different ages and backgrounds can live and work, to meet the current needs of its communities and to meet any future demand created through its rejuvenation

Outcomes

• Better understanding within rural communities, and between rural communities and other stakeholders, of housing needs and potential solutions • More affordable units are provided to meet demand • More towns/villages have the level of access to affordable rural housing required to meet the needs identified by a Carrick Housing Needs Analysis.

CCCF & Partners: A1 Work with partner agencies to establish a Carrick Housing Action Partnership (CHAP) to facilitate A2 and A4 – by end 2008. A2 Complete surveys in seven Community Council Areas to quantify: number and size of houses; ownership and occupancy patterns; planned development sites; potential development sites, including disused and derelict homes – by mid 2009. A3 Work with local communities to increase understanding of housing issues – by mid 2009. A4 In partnership with the local authority, housing associations and others, complete a housing needs analysis by end 2009.

B) Developing Employment & Wealth via Tourism

Introduction

Work done by Horizons in 2004 suggested that the brand image for Carrick should be built around the following ideas:

• Carrick is an ideal destination for holidaymakers of all ages, offering a variety of places to visit, landscapes, and activities, either in town, on the coast by the seaside, or inland where rivers forests and rolling hills and rugged terrain are on offer • The area is readily accessible by road and rail, as well as having sea and air routes within reach. Most businesses in the area are locally owned and managed, and recognise the importance of tourism to the area • People in the local community want tourists to enjoy their stay in the area, to make return visits, and to recommend the area to other people as a holiday destination • Visitors have options to spend their time in either a relaxing or active manner. Activities can be enjoyed alone, or as part of a group of people, with local experts and social enterprises available to give instruction or advice to individuals at all levels of experience, whether they are early learners or more proficient participants

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 34 Tourism exploitation within the Carrick area to-date has not been great, although the area has a wide and varied product to promote. The niche market of Short Activity Break holidays, has been identified as having the greatest potential to attract a larger numbers of tourists and therefore to maximise economic return for the area are: • Walking breaks • Cycling breaks • Golfing holidays • Ailsa Craig RSPB nature reserve • Fishing (including fishing for people with disabilities) • Culture and heritage • Events and festivals • Folk music enthusiasts • Sailing holidays • Green tourism

Strategic Fit

Tourism in Scotland and Ayrshire and Arran – Evidence from a number of reports, including for example, VisitScotland Tourism Survey 2006, Scottish Economic Statistics – Profile for Tourism Sector – September 2007, prove that tourism and tourism-related industries, are significant contributors to the Scottish economy, and account for 11% of turnover and 10% of gross value added in the whole of the service industries. By comparison, tourism-related industries account for 8–9% output in the UK service industries as a whole.

The VisitScotland Tourism Survey 2006 supports this by highlighting the following facts about tourism in Ayrshire & Arran

• Tourist trips to Ayrshire & Arran (A&A) stayed for 2.66m bednights and spent £149m in the area • Within the UK market, Scottish residents took 55% of trips whilst English visitors took 42% • Visitors from overseas took 0.17m trips to A&A and stayed 1.05m nights during 2006. Overseas tourism spending in A&A totalled £55m • Tourism related employment accounted for 11% of the workforce in Ayrshire and Arran

The close proximity to Prestwick airport, Irish ferry ports and the Borders lends itself to both the international markets and ‘home grown’ UK markets.

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 35 The influence of Prestwick Airport to the Ayrshire economy has been significant in recent years, due to the increase in the number of routes offered by Ryanair. The airport generates £173 million/annum from inbound visitors to Scotland.

There are a variety of initiatives being implemented by VisitScotland Ayrshire & Arran, which the CCCF should aim to be involved with, through the local VisitScotland Industry Engagement Team and South Ayrshire Council’s Enterprise Department i.e., Pigsback.com for short-break holidays promotion to North and Southern Ireland, ‘Appetite for Ayrshire’, Homecoming 2009, Burns an’ a’ that!

Aim

To promote the, ‘Carrick – South West Scotland’s Activity Centre’, brand worldwide so that Carrick becomes a first choice activity and short break holiday destination for both UK and International visitors alike.

Outcomes

• A recognised Carrick Tourism brand • Increase visitor market in line with Scottish Government and South Ayrshire Council targets • Enhanced ‘tourism offer’ by creating additional products

Objectives

Nine objectives have been identified to address the opportunities for employment that can be generated by increased Tourism. In the first six cases, the actions that can be taken by the CCCF to address the objectives will be limited to encouraging partner organisations such as Horizons or the local authority. The last three objectives in the table are where the CCCF can have a more hands on approach and will be prioritised for action by the CCCF.

Partners: B1 Create mechanisms for profiling of visitors in the area – by end 2008 and produce a comprehensive profile of visitors to the area – by end 2009. B2 Carry out training needs analysis of all tourism sectors – by 2008 and develop a training delivery plan, in partnership with other educational and training organisations – by spring 2009. B3 Ensure the Carrick tourism brand ‘South West Scotland’s Activity Centre’ is adopted within the Local Authority and VisitScotland’s local area framework strategies and marketing material – by 2010. B4 Work with three other countries to develop awareness of, and income from, activity tourism through joint marketing and development initiatives – by end 2010. B5 Create a marketing strategy for the area, on the same time frame as this Economic Development Strategy – by end 2010. B6 Assist businesses and other organisations to access funds in order to increase the number of tourism entrepreneurs, including accommodation providers, by 10% and seek ways to increase the number of visitors to the area by 50% – by 2013.

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 36 CCCF B 7 Examine the potential for carbon reduction and renewable energy projects within Carrick – by mid 2009. B8 Develop a campaign to raise awareness of the cultural, heritage and environmental tourism markets in the local community, support local initiatives to build on research into local culture and heritage, and develop a strategy to encourage entrepreneurship in the area of cultural tourism – by end 2009. B9 Develop an annual ‘Be Proud of Where you Live’ campaign for the local community’s participation, with an initial pilot within the local schools – by mid 2009 and roll out to the broader communities – by 2010.

C) Improving Enterprise, Innovation & Employment

Introduction

Enterprise, innovation and employment are all critical to the economic strength, competitiveness and sustainability of Carrick. Although the percentage of self-employment is on average higher than that of non-rural South Ayrshire, the skill levels are lower and therefore the employment opportunities tend to be in lower paid roles such as agriculture and in seasonal employment including the hotel trade. There is a view that Carrick’s rural areas attract incomers who tend to be better off and relatively well qualified. Nevertheless, these areas also tend to have a higher proportion of people with few or no formal qualifications (32.4% as against non-rural areas of South Ayrshire 27.0%) 13

Job creation and dependency on large manufacturers, especially in the South Carrick area within the Grangestone Industrial Estate and Turnberry Hotel, has historically created immediate local economic stress when there is a downturn in the national economy. Therefore, job losses have an overwhelming effect on the communities of the area. Expanding the small business sector within Carrick, and therefore increasing job creation, could reduce the potentially devastating effect of economic downturns or recessions within the larger enterprises.

In the past, the area has suffered from seasonal and short-term contracts. Equally, market failure within the land-based sector (due to its high proportion of overall employment) would have social, economic and environmental consequences.

13 Rural Deprivation and South Ayrshire, South Ayrshire Council.

The Scottish Government’s recently published reports Principles and Priorities: The Government's Programme for Scotland (September 2007) and their Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007–13 – The Strategic Plan highlight their overall purpose 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 CCCF Strategy will contribute to sustainable economic growth and will focus on objectives that will attract financial support through programmes such as the SRDP and Leader.

Aim

To promote enterprise and small business development, within the rural areas by encouraging diversification, embracing new ideas and innovation to further strengthen the economic performance of Carrick.

Outcomes

• Improved business infrastructure and support, which will allow the business sector to flourish • Improved skills and employability of communities attracting additional higher value jobs and reduced dependence on low wage/low skills/low value jobs • The land based sector supported to adapt effectively to change and align it to the objectives and outcomes of the SRDP

Objectives

As with the Employment and Wealth via Tourism priority, there are several objectives related to Enterprise, Innovation and Employment where the CCCF’s role should be to encourage, monitor, and where possible support, the work of partner agencies, notably Horizons. Six such objectives are listed in the table below. The final three objectives are ones where the CCCF will have a more hands-on involvement.

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 38 Partners: C 1 Ensure rural businesses have access to information and support by producing bi-monthly business information and explore the viability of re-introducing the new business club – early 2009. C2 Improve the professional management skills of the social economy by performing a Training Needs Analysis of the voluntary sector by mid 2009 and delivering a Management and administration skills programme – by late 2009. C3 Perform Training Needs Analysis with local businesses – by mid 2009; deliver a programme of product development workshops/training – by mid 2009 and develop a programme of marketing and logistics training (including e-commerce) by Autumn 2009 in order to increase the sustainability and economic impact of sectors including retail, tourism, recreation, culture and creative industries, food and drink, agriculture. C4 Arrange quarterly workshops with sectoral partners to highlight the possibilities of SRDP funding to land-based businesses and to disseminate the key relevant business opportunities in culture, social enterprise and rural tourism – starting mid 2009. C5 Build a portfolio of good and innovative practices from Carrick and other rural areas of Europe and make it available to other projects within the context of this strategy – by end 2008. C6 Develop a project with schools, youth associations and the Chamber of Commerce, to develop a ‘can do’ culture within the local communities, especially within the areas of Youth – by early 2009.

CCCF: C7 Consult with agencies delivering business services to explore better ways of meeting the needs of businesses in Carrick – by end 2008. C8 Explore ways in which local shops and businesses can co-operate to improve viability – by mid 2009. C9 Complete surveys in seven Community Council Areas to identify planned and potential sites for small-scale business development, including brown field sites – by mid 2009.

Introduction

“Scotland has real strength in the most vital factor for modern economies – the human capital offered by our greatest asset, Scotland’s people. We need to build on this strength and, importantly, make more of it in broadening Scotland’s comparative advantage in the global economy.”14

The human/social capital within the Carrick area can be demonstrated by its widespread development of voluntary organisations delivering a range of services. The potential savings to the public purse could be huge. The recognition and funding for social enterprise combined with the objectives of community leadership and the devolution of powers and assets to local level are key elements of the current UK Government thinking, and within the Scottish Parliament. With support from the local agencies involved in Community Development and Social Economy Development, the Carrick area could be well placed to respond to this through its Community Councils.

Interest in community ownership of assets (e.g., village halls, community newsletters, long term leasing arrangements of public buildings/assets, and community purchases of property) has increased within the Carrick area over recent years. To continue and encourage this trend of community empowerment it is important that these existing organisations and future organisations are fully supported in their management structures and sustainability to ensure a long-term future for local delivery of services and preservation of community assets.

Strategic Fit

The five themes available to Local Action Groups within LEADER are: • Revitalising communities • Rural community capacity building • New markets and products • Progressive rural economy • Conservation of the rural environment

The Ayrshire LAG has selected the first two of these as being most relevant to the needs and stage of development of Ayrshire.

The objectives and actions to be implemented by CCCF and partner organisations under the Developing Active, Involved Communities priority have a direct relationship to these two themes and will have a significant impact on the successful implementation of the Ayrshire LEADER Strategy.

14 Quote from First Minister, Economic Development Strategy, Scottish Government, 2007

To develop an active and unified Carrick community with a shared vision for the future, with a spirit of care for others less fortunate within their communities and with the skills and resources to enact their vision.

Outcomes

• Undertake capacity building initiatives with key local organisations • More people will participate more often and more effectively in community activity • Community activists and managers and staff of voluntary organisations will have better support • Activity will be better co-ordinated • Community facilities will be aligned more to local needs. • Continued development of innovative community consultation techniques

Objectives

Again, some of the objectives and outcomes for this priority will need to be delivered in partnership with other organisations. At the same time, there are initiatives in which the CCCF can take the lead and make significant improvements.

Partners: D1 Review existing support and services to the voluntary sector/social enterprise and produce a report with recommendations – by early 2009 D2 Assist local communities affected by windfarm development, to create suitable organisations for the disbursement of community benefit funds, and ensure that those organisations recognise the importance of the CCCF strategy in the disbursement of community benefit funds. From mid 2008–2013. D3 Complete an audit of community facilities in Carrick and a preliminary assessment of the community’s capacity to manage them independently, including examining the potential to use community facilities, such as village halls, in the delivery of services eg Health and other services – by mid 2009. D4 Establish an annual event to showcase the work of the voluntary and social enterprise sectors, so that they get the recognition they deserve – by autumn 2009.

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 41 CCCF: D 5 Support and promote the use of LEADER and other funds by all Community Councils within the CCCF, to complete community consultations and community appraisals to produce local action plants. Taking account of the CCCF’s own strategy – by autumn 2009. D6 Establish a mechanism whereby the CCCF will engage with the CPP on a regular basis. To ensure the local action plans influence the policies of the CPP – by mid 2009. D7 Research how other communities identify and motivate community activists, to share the workload in community based projects and assist partners to produce an outline training and development programme – by end 2009.

E) Improving Access to Services & Local Facilities

Introduction

Lack of an integrated public transport network is one of the main causes of problems for people accessing services, recreation and jobs. This creates problems within both accessible and remote rural communities, having access to key services e.g. GP, Petrol Station, Post Office, Schools and shopping facilities.

It is a challenge for service providers to deliver integrated services to a geographically dispersed population. However, working in partnership should provide the answer to this disparity of public transport services and lack of connectivity in existing service delivery within the Carrick area.

Existing transport services have been supported by the ‘Carrick Connector’ and ‘Travel Connection’ services and, for the voluntary/social economy sector – the Carrick Community Transport Group. This provision should be built upon to complement future transport provision. A number of key agencies and voluntary organisations deliver a broad range of services to all elements of the Carrick community, and if further developed will continue to address the issues of social exclusion and exclusion due to rurality.

Local community facilities and activities are paramount to provide a ‘hub’ for community activity. The main survey, the community surveys and the youth survey all found that ‘lack of facilities’ and ‘nothing to do’ were key issues. Improving access to recreational facilities, opportunities to network with peers and opportunities for involvement in a range of activities and community led projects at a local level, would stimulate an attitude change towards community activity and involvement.

There is a particularly close fit with the Ayrshire Leader Strategy, which cites the two main weaknesses in the area as follows: • The limited scale and narrow business base in rural Ayrshire and associated constraints on the volume and quality of employment opportunities • Transport infrastructure and services within the rural area including transport supporting travel-to-work and transport linking services for those who did not have access to a car

Aim

To ensure consistent access throughout Carrick, (using existing services complemented by a network of additional support), to health services, work, shopping, recreation, culture, arts, further and higher education, leisure clubs and sports.

Outcomes

• A more viable rural transport service • Improved collaboration between service providers, transport providers and key agencies to tackle social exclusion through transport disadvantage

Objectives

Partners: E1 Map and evaluate existing service provision by the third sector, specifically within the social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations to build on existing provision – by early 2009 E2 Produce a report on how to make the best use of community facilities to provide services to the rural communities – by mid 2009 E3 Identify ways to encourage social entrepreneurial activities to bring services and create employment in remoter rural areas – by late 2009

CCCF: E4 Consult with local authorities, health board, third sector service providers and local communities to identify service delivery and access issues, and make recommendations to the CPP on improvements – by mid 2009. E5 Establish a mechanism whereby the CCCF will engage with the Community Learning Partnerships on a regular basis. To ensure that local action plans influence the policies and actions of those Community Learning Partnerships – by mid 2009.

Introduction

Young people represent the future of Carrick and their personal and social development is important and can impact on everyone.

Young people leaving their home area to widen their horizons and experience new things is recognised as an important part of their development.

In strong communities, with vibrant economies, this out migration is balanced by those same young people returning home after a while with new skills and ideas to add into the community. The ‘out migration’ is balanced, too, by an inflow of young people from other areas.

In weaker communities, these counterbalancing effects are less apparent and the overall impact is a relatively rapid increase in the age profile of the area.

In the past, young people in Carrick have had little opportunity to contribute and be involved in the development of their communities. Agencies, that provide services, and the wider community should now be more aware and sensitive to the opinions and ideas of what the young people want and need, to change the migration patterns of youth in Carrick.

Most young people make a positive contribution to society. When empowered, they have a wide range of opinions, great imagination and loads of energy and enthusiasm to help make valuable and positive changes within their community, making it a better place for all. All too often they are seen in a negative light because of the minority.

This priority provides an opportunity for both agencies and local community representatives to understand, recognise and promote the positive contribution that the majority of young people can make, whilst encouraging more young people to play an active part in their community.

How can it Change?

By specifically highlighting Youth as a priority, and targeting a number of actions to address ‘out migration’ from Carrick, and giving the young people the opportunity to be involved in the development of their community, this strategy will give them:

• A say in their future • The right to question local agencies on the services they provide • The ability to influence the decision makers • The ability to monitor work that has been agreed by the agencies • The chance to increase their contribution to the development of their communities

The CCCF strategy fits well with South Ayrshire Council’s Youth Strategy 2007–2010 – Investing in Young People, which intends to provide a framework that will:

• Involve young people in the design of services • Maximise the use of resources and ensure equality of opportunity particularly for the more marginalised • Identify gaps in provision • Make best use of specialist skills and experience • Share good practice through training and networking • Provide integrated responses to those young people who are most disengaged and those who require additional support achieve better outcomes • Seek funding opportunities in a collaborative way that avoids competing interests and ensures a co-ordinated approach to the needs of the young people in South Ayrshire • Plan and deliver services at a local level

Aim

To contribute to developing a vibrant and actively engaged community of young people, that can influence and shape services for youth and who can help to shape the future of Carrick

Outcomes

• Better participation and engagement by all children and young people in youth, cultural and community activities • All young people more likely to aim high and to achieve their best in a safe and secure environment • Slower out migration and better balance between inward and outward migration of young people

PARTNERS: F1 Identify for each community in Carrick, a particular access to recreation issue, specifically for youth and take steps to overcome the barriers. Pilot an approach to removing those barriers – by end of 2010. F2 Encourage the Carrick Youth Forum to consider developing good up-to-date communication mechanisms to promote the facilities and services available to young people in the area – by mid 2009. F3 Explore with local SMEs and colleges the potential to create subsidised apprenticeship and other training/employment schemes – by end 2009.

CCCF: F4 Offer support to South Ayrshire Council staff in the implementation of the South Ayrshire Youth Strategy – by promoting the formation of a Carrick Youth Forum and encouraging local young people to participate – by end 2008. F5 Encourage community councils to ensure young people are involved in the production of local action plans, cited in 4.1 of this strategy – by autumn 2009; and thereafter invite a representative from the Carrick Youth Forum to participate in the CCCF meetings – ongoing to 2013. F6 Monitor the support available to the Carrick Youth Forum, with a view to identifying and resolving gaps in support – ongoing to 2013. F7 Monitor actions under other priorities within this strategy to ensure that the needs of young people are taken into account – ongoing to 2013.

Action Plan A – Improving Access to Affordable Housing

Objective Action

A1 Work with partner agencies to establish a Carrick Housing As indicated in the text Action Partnership (CHAP) – by end 2008. of the Strategy, the detailed action planning A2 Complete surveys in seven Community Council Areas to is to be carried out by quantify: number and size of houses; ownership and occupancy the CCCF and individual patterns; planned development sites; potential development Community Councils sites, including disused and derelict homes – by Spring 2009. subsequent to the publication of the A3 Work with local communities to increase understanding Strategy. An example of housing issues – by mid 2009. of the action planning template is given at the A4 In partnership with the local authority, housing associations end of this Chapter. and others, complete a housing needs analysis – by mid 2009.

Action Plan B – Developing Employment & Wealth via Tourism

Objecti ve Action

B1 Examine the potential for carbon reduction and renewable As indicated in the text energy projects within Carrick – by mid 2009. of the Strategy, the detailed action planning B2 Develop a campaign to raise awareness of the cultural is to be carried out by heritage, and environmental tourism markets in the local the CCCF and individual community, support local initiatives to build on research Community Councils into local culture and heritage, and develop a strategy to subsequent to the encourage tourism entrepreneurship – by end 2009. publication of the Strategy. An example B3 Develop an annual ‘Be Proud of Where you Live’ campaign for of the action planning the local community’s participation, with an initial pilot within template is given at the the local schools – by mid 2009 and role out to the broader end of this Chapter. communities – by 2010.

Objective Action

C1 Consult with organisations delivering business services to As indicated in the text explore better ways of meeting the needs of businesses in of the Strategy, the Carrick – by end 2008. detailed action planning is to be carried out by C2 Explore ways in which local shops and businesses can the CCCF and individual co-operate to improve viability – by mid 2009. Community Councils subsequent to the C3 Complete surveys in seven Community Council Areas to publication of the identify planned and potential sites for small-scale business Strategy. An example development, including brown field sites – by end 2008. of the action planning template is given at the end of this Chapter.

Action Plan D – Developing Active, Engaged Communities

Objective Action

D1 Support and promote the use of LEADER and other funds to all As indicated in the text Community Councils within the CCCF, to complete community of the Strategy, the consultations and community appraisals to produce local detailed action planning action plants. Taking account of the CCCF’s own strategy – is to be carried out by by autumn 2009. the CCCF and individual Community Councils D2 Establish a mechanism whereby the CCCF will engage with subsequent to the the CPP on a regular basis. To ensure the local action plans publication of the influence the policies of the CPP – by mid 2009. Strategy. An example of the action planning D3 Research how other communities identify and motivate template is given at the community activists – by mid 2009. end of this Chapter.

Objective Action

E1 Consult with local authorities, health board, third sector As indicated in the text service providers and local communities to identify service of the Strategy, the delivery and access issues, and make recommendations to detailed action planning the CPP on improvements – by mid 2009. is to be carried out by the CCCF and individual E2 Establish a mechanism whereby the CCCF will engage with Community Councils the Carrick Community Learning Partnerships on a regular subsequent to the basis. To ensure that local action plans influence the policies publication of the and actions of those Community Learning Partnerships Strategy. An example – by mid 2009. of the action planning template is given at the end of this Chapter.

Action Plan F – Tackling ‘Out Migration’ of Young People

Objective Action

F1 Support South Ayrshire Council staff in the implementation of As indicated in the text the South Ayrshire Youth Strategy – By promoting the of the Strategy, the formation of a Carrick Youth Forum and encouraging local detailed action planning youth to participate – by mid 2009. is to be carried out by the CCCF and individual F2 Ensure community councils involve young in the production Community Councils of local action plans, cited in point 4.1 of this strategy – subsequent to the by autumn 2009; thereafter invite a representative of the publication of the Carrick Youth Forum to participate in the CCCF meetings – Strategy. An example ongoing to 2013. of the action planning template is given at the F3 Monitor the support available to the Carrick Youth Forum, with end of this Chapter. a view to identifying and resolving gaps in support – ongoing to 2013.

F4 Monitor actions under other priorities within this strategy to ensure that the needs of young people are taken into account – ongoing to 2013.

Rural Housing • Co-operate with CCCF in a Carrick Housing Action Partnership

Tourism • Create mechanisms for profiling of visitors in the area – by end 2008 and produce a comprehensive profile of visitors to the area – by end 2009 • Carry out training needs analysis of all tourism sectors – by 2008 and develop a training delivery plan, in partnership with other educational and training organisations – by spring 2009 • Ensure the Carrick tourism brand ‘South West Scotland’s Activity Centre’ is adopted within the Local Authority and VisitScotland’s local area framework strategies and marketing material – by 2010 • Work with three other countries to develop awareness of, and income from, activity tourism through joint marketing and development initiatives – by end 2010 • Create a marketing strategy for the area, on the same time frame as this Economic Development Strategy – by end 2010 • Assist businesses and other organisations to access funds in order to increase the number of tourism entrepreneurs, including accommodation providers, by 10% and seek ways to increase the number of visitors to the area by 50% – by 2013

Active, Involved Communities • Review existing support and services to the voluntary sector/social enterprise and produce a report with recommendations – by early 2009 • Assist local communities affected by windfarm development, to create suitable organisations for the disbursement of community benefit funds, and ensure that those organisation recognise the importance of the CCCF strategy in the disbursement of community benefit funds. From mid 2008–2013 • Complete an audit of community facilities in Carrick and a preliminary assessment of the community’s capacity to manage them independently, including examining the potential to use community facilities, such as village halls, in the delivery of services e.g. Health and other services – by mid 2009 • Establish an annual event to showcase the work of the voluntary and social enterprise sectors, so that they get the recognition they deserve – by autumn 2009

Economic Development Strategy & Action Plan © Horizons 2008 – All rights reserved page 51 Access to Services and Facilities • Map and evaluate existing service provision by the third sector, specifically within the social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations to build on existing provision – by early 2009 • Produce a report on how to make the best use of community facilities to provide services to the rural communities – by mid 2009 • Identify ways to encourage social entrepreneurial activities to bring services and create employment in remoter rural areas – by late 2009

Youth • Identify for each community in Carrick, a particular access to recreation issue, specifically for youth, and take steps to overcome the barriers. Pilot an approach to removing those barriers – by end of 2010 • Encourage the Carrick Youth Forum to consider developing good up-to-date communication mechanisms to promote the facilities and services available to young people in the area – by mid 2009 • Explore with local SMEs and colleges the potential to create subsidised apprenticeship and other training/employment schemes – by end 2009

For further information contact:

Horizons Knockcushan House 25 Knockcushan Street Girvan

Tel: 01465 716194 Email: [email protected]