AVONBRIDGE AND STANDBURN AREA COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS (OUTCOMES AND PROPOSALS) Produced with the support of CARES, the Local Energy Challenge Fund Standburn Community Park © Catch the moment - Photography by Sandy PAGE 2 CONTENTS Section Page No Appendix A: 1 Introduction and Background ........ 4-7 Public Consultation - Methodology ..........28-29 2 Avonbridge and Standburn Appendix B: Area Profile ...................................8-13 Public Consultation - Results ................... 30-33 3 Strengths and Challenges .......... 14-18 Appendix C: Public Consultation Leaflet/Questionnaire .... 34 4 Themes, Proposed Projects and Actions ................................ 19-24 Appendix D: Local News Release ...................................... 35 5 Next Steps ................................. 25-26 PAGE 3 PAGE 4 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND River Avon © Catch the moment - Photography by Sandy PAGE 5 SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND What is Community Planning? 1.4 The existence of a Community Planning process does not in itself mean that 1.1 Community Planning is a means of things will automatically happen. Often, establishing what local people would but not always, a written Community Plan like for their area, aiming to ensure that is produced, but this simply provides those who live and work there can enjoy a framework for action - widespread a good quality of life, both now and in the community involvement and commitment future. will be required to actually deliver the desired improvements, with energetic local groups and individuals coming 1.2 Community Planning in the UK exists forward to lead and develop specific in many different forms and covers projects. many different types of place - cities, towns, villages and rural areas - but all Community Planning processes have certain elements in common: What are the benefits of Community Planning? • They take into account the views of all sections of the community 1.5 Places which have already experienced successful Community Planning • They establish what local people value processes report a wide range of most about their community benefits, including, for example: • They establish local needs and wishes ≠ A better quality of life (sometimes for making things better resulting from very small and simple • They include an Action Plan projects) containing specific identified projects ≠ More active citizenship and civic pride • These projects bring together public ≠ Communities taking more agencies, the voluntary sector and responsibility for developing their local people, working in partnership own services, enterprises and social and sharing resources economies ≠ Local people becoming more 1.3 Community Planning can be carried confident in their abilities to help out by different types of organisations, shape their own lives ranging from large local authorities to ≠ The area’s image improving, along small voluntary groups, but experience with greater economic investment around the country has shown that irrespective of who leads the exercise, ≠ Young people becoming more likely the most effective and successful to stay in the area, thereby providing processes are those which engage and continuity, stability and a sense of involve local people - not just during the togetherness in the community research and analysis period, but also on an ongoing basis thereafter. PAGE 6 Community Planning in the 1.8 The methodology followed by the Avonbridge and Standburn area consultants, and samples of their consultative materials, are set out in 1.6 In May 2017, following a competitive Appendix A. tendering exercise, Avonbridge and Standburn Community Council (funded entirely by CARES, the Scottish 1.9 Various draft versions of the Community Government’s Community and Plan were distributed to local consultees Renewable Energy Scheme) appointed and stakeholders for comments during consultants to undertake a Community August and September 2017. The Planning process for the Avonbridge and feedback received helped to shape the Standburn area. finalised Plan, which was completed in late September 2017. 1.7 The Community Council’s desired outcome was to create a published 1.10 It is important to stress that the activities document setting out a series of outlined in this document will not be proposals and actions, all to be ‘owned’ delivered or managed by Avonbridge and entirely by local people. Whilst it was Standburn Community Council and for recognised that the document would not that reason, it is stressed that it will be have any ‘official’ or legal status, it would up to local people themselves to come still nevertheless reflect local opinions together to establish working parties and aspirations and would encourage and project groups to take forward the greater participation in community life. projects identified. 1.7 The Community Council’s working party 1.11 One of the document’s principal uses required the consultants to: will be to inform and guide decisions being taken about the dispensing of the (a) Carry out desktop research to identify EDF-ER Burnhead Moss Wind Farm key socio-economic information about Community Benefit Fund. This fund will the area; provide c £35,000 per annum (rising in (b) Conduct a comprehensive line with inflation) to the Avonbridge and programme of community Standburn area until at least 2036. It is engagement and consultation; also intended that the document can be (c) Then, based on the findings of (a) and used to support funding applications to (b), produce a document which would other external bodies. identify themes and priorities for action in the short, medium and long terms. PAGE 7 PAGE 8 AVONBRIDGE AND STANDBURN AREA PROFILE AND STANDBURN AVONBRIDGE View over Avonbridge © Catch the moment - Photography by Sandy PAGE 9 SECTION 2 - AVONBRIDGE AND STANDBURN AREA PROFILE 2.1 This Community Plan covers the area served by Avonbridge and Standburn Community Council - approximately 60 square miles (155 km²), lying to the south of Falkirk in central Scotland (see map below). The phrase “the Avonbridge district” is used herein as a shorthand title for the area. Avonbridge and Standburn Community Council Scale: ± 1:40,000 Reproduced from the Ordnance Survey map with the permission of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Falkirk Council 100023384 (2008) 2.2 This is a small but very varied district. 2.3 The local economy has changed Fringed by the peaceful River Avon, considerably in recent decades. For the undulating landscape includes much of the 19th and 20th Centuries, woodlands, arable fields and boglands, the economy was based on coal mining former industrial sites and a large (especially around Standburn, which wind farm. The population is small (an had several mines) whilst Avonbridge estimated 1,335 people in 2017) with also had a large brick works and a some 50% of them living in the main quarry, but all such heavy industry has settlement of Avonbridge, around 10% now disappeared. There is one local living in Standburn village and the employer of note, a haulage company remaining 40% dispersed across the based in Avonbridge, but otherwise rural parts of the district. the economy is based mainly around agriculture, forestry and related services. Most employed people from the district travel to workplaces elsewhere in central Scotland. PAGE 10 2.4 The small and scattered population is 2.6 Population - the 2011 Census recorded probably the reason for the relatively a population of 1,283 living in 555 low number of community groups and households. It is estimated that the organisations based in the area. The district’s population has grown by following exist: around 4% since then, with most of these additional people living outwith ≠ Two churches in Avonbridge (Church the district’s two villages. In 2011, the of Scotland and United Reformed Avonbridge district (like the Falkirk Church) Council area overall) had more children, ≠ A Community Hall in Avonbridge, with fewer people of working age and fewer its own management committee older people than Scotland as a whole, ≠ A Mother and Toddlers Club in but the median age of 41 was exactly the Avonbridge Community Hall same as for Scotland overall: ≠ A Kids Club in Avonbridge Community Hall UNDER 16S ≠ Parent Councils for both Avonbridge 254 people and Drumbowie (Standburn) Primary 19.4% Schools ≠ A Social Lunch Club for older people, 17.3% Scotland meeting at the United Reformed Church Hall ≠ Drumbowie Environmental Action 16 TO 24 Group, which manages Drumbowie Park 65.8% 862 people ≠ Avonbridge Community Gardening Club 65.9% Scotland ≠ Avon Valley Angling Association ≠ Avonbridge Homing Society (racing pigeons) 65 AND OVER There are no known sports teams or similar. Youth groups for older children/ 14.7% 193 people teenagers have recently ceased to exist, as has the former Avonbridge Regeneration Group. 16.8% Scotland Statistical Data In several parts of the district, 34-35% of households contain dependent children - 2.5 Much of the data considered below considerably above the (Scottish average is sourced from Scotland’s Census of 24.5%). 2011, with updated estimates supplied by National Records of Scotland/ Falkirk Council (NB the data-capture 2.7 Ethnicity - there is very little ethnic or geographical boundaries used by the racial diversity in the Avonbridge district, Census and other agencies do not tie which in 2011 was over 99% white in exactly with the Community