Author: GWSF / SFHA

Responses from two of Scotland’s leading housing bodies were quick to appear. Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum published this article in Scottish Housing News.

Scottish Federation of Housing Associations published a response on their website. Game over? Game on!

Author: Collaborative Scotland

Better Conversations Bus Tour 2017

In October 2017, Collaborative Scotland organised a series of public events and business breakfasts and other events in the north-west of Scotland as part of our Better Conversations Bus Tour.

The Bus Tour is a new project aiming to build real dialogue and problem-solving capacity, offering an opportunity to discuss in a safe space the really important issues that concern us all, while helping to take some of the heat out of difficult decisions about contentious matters in Scotland’s communities, business and public life.

The Bus Tour visited 16 communities in the north and west Highlands.

Tour Report

The Better Conversations Bus Tour Report has now been published. The Report contains Collaborative Scotland’s findings and recommendations. It has been launched at a number of events in March 2018.

The Report concludes that there is great potential in hosting these kinds of conversations, both in the north and west, where the Tour engaged with so many enthusiastic people, and elsewhere in Scotland. Already, plans are unfolding for the next adventure to the south and west later this year.

The Report raises questions:

·         How to make better and more efficient use of existing resources in the communities?

·         How to encourage and enhance collaboration within and across communities?

·         How to attract and accommodate people, especially younger people, through new job opportunities and affordable housing?

·         How to make the best of tourism, while building a sustainable economy?

·         How to attract necessary funding for community projects?

·         How to support local autonomy, decision-making and problem-solving?

·         How to ensure long-term planning rather than merely short-term gain?

Read the full Recommendations here.

Read the full Report here:

Author: Karin Goodwin, The Herald

A communty arts and development organisation in Dumfries is making a bid to take back control of its neglected town centre and become the first in Scotland to buy back its high street. It hopes to transform the down-at-heel centre into a bustling hub full of urban homes, social enterprises and local small businesses.

Proposals for the so-called Midsteeple quarter in the heart of the traditional market town in the south-west of Scotland would see members of the community buying back eight key buildings from private property owners, who it is claimed are “holding it to ransom” by demanding sky-high – and unaffordable – rents.

The proposal comes as research last week revealed new stores are opening on UK High Streets at their lowest rate in seven years. The Local Data Company, which studied the top 500 British town centres, found there were 4,083 new store openings in 2017, the lowest since 2010. The shop vacancy rate is now almost 12 per cent in towns across Scotland.

The Dumfries bid – driven by public arts organisation the Stove Network and backed by Dumfries and Galloway Council, the local housing association and others – aims to refurbish the vacant and increasingly derelict building in the heart of the town. Formerly used as retail outlets, many of the buildings – which have been abandoned for up to a decade – are owned by property portfolio companies who are demanding tens of thousands of pounds in annual rent despite the poor condition of the shop spaces.

It is inspired by rural land community buy-outs in places like Eigg, Assynt and Gigha, and would be the first “urban” buy-out.

At its launch last week, 300 people signed up to the community benefit company and to join the “Doon toon army”, who will also be involved in town clean-ups and events. Organisers hope that up to 2,000 people will sign up over the next year.

Members could eventually buy shares in the buildings if their owners can be persuaded – or compelled under community “right to buy” and empowerment legislation – to sell the buildings. One building owned by the council will be transferred into community ownership by 2020.

Matt Baker, director of the Stove Network, said: “We spent five years asking the same question of our community: what is the future of a 21st century market town if it’s not full of national chain stores? We had many different answers but the one that resounded with everyone was the desire to recreate a community in the town centre.

“Yet we are stuck in a jam. The buildings are owned by vacant landlords who are unprepared to invest in them or offer reasonable rents, so they are lying there empty. These landlords are holding our town to ransom. We saw an opportunity to take them on using the community empowerment legislation and to make history. We are taking back control of our high street.”

He added: “We want to negotiate with property owners and persuade them that these buildings have become a liability for them. Communities need flexibility and innovation. As artists what we are trying to do is put our head above the parapet and inspire and empower people.”

Plans, which could be replicated to save struggling high streets across Scotland, would see spaces for co-working and creative studios, an “innovation centre” backed by the University of the West of Scotland and charity hubs.

Local businesswoman Kirsten Rowe said she was shocked when she tried to rent one of the empty shops only to be told she would have to sign a ten-year lease at £45,000 per annum. In response, she has joined up with another local businesswoman, Leah Halliday, and the two are currently applying for permission to stand a “maker’s market” along the length of the pedestrianised high street – a plan that has had overwhelming local support.

“I think the proposals [to buy the high street] are a great idea,” Rowe added. “Most people are sick and tired seeing the town the way it is and they want it to change. Towns like Dumfries are now looking to us to see how it might work.”

Dumfries and Galloway Council leader Elaine Murray added: “It does depress people if the town centre is shabby. There is so much lovely architecture here but a lot of the buildings are owned by businesses that don’t have any association with the town. The council is enthusiastic about supporting the idea that the community would own the high street around the Midsteeple area and I know the Scottish Government is also keen. In these times of austerity we simply aren’t in a position to do it all by ourselves.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson added: “This is an interesting and ambitious proposal. We want communities to develop the capacity to identify their aspirations and needs and to develop and deliver economic, social and environmental solutions that work for their local area. We will continue to work with partners such as Scottish Towns Partnership and SURF (Scotland’s Regeneration Network) to support regeneration in communities and contribute to the vibrancy, vitality, and viability of our town centres. This has included previous support for the Stove Network.”

Author: Scottish Rural Action

A report by Scottish Rural Action found that transport costs in rural Scotland stopped 48% of young people from employment, and 33% of young people from education and training. The report, titled FareEnough?, is based on a survey of young people living in rural communities, and recommends that further research into the issue is carried out with the aim of finding a solution.

Key findings:

•             48% of young people have been prevented from going to work because travel is too expensive

•             Over 20% of young people’s income is spent on travel to work•             Almost 30% of young people have been stopped from accessing education or training because travel is too costly

•             33% of young people travel over 30 miles per day for work or education

Emma Cooper, Chief Executive of Scottish Rural Action, said “Young people in rural areas deserve the same access to education and employment as young people who live elsewhere, and to do that, we need an integrated, reliable, frequent and affordable public transport system. Young people are telling us that they are missing out on jobs and training because public transport costs too much for them, which will have a lifelong impact on their skill levels, earnings and our rural economy.

“Young people are at a critical stage in their development, making important decisions about their future and embarking on the first steps of their career. Transport can enable their access to essential education and training, but in a rural area, transport is often a barrier. This report highlights the impact of transportation costs specifically on access for rural young people to education and employment.

“Although this report looks at a relatively small sample of young people, the results are eye-opening. If we do not investigate further, and address the concerns raised here as a matter of urgency, we risk excluding yet more young people from reaching their potential and damaging our rural economy.”

Author: LifeMosaic

This April and May, there is a unique opportunity to meet with community leaders from the indigenous Misak people of Colombia, as they tour Scotland to share their experiences of the ‘Plan de Vida’ or Life Plan, and learn about Scotland’s own journey towards land reform and community empowerment.

The Misak were displaced from their lands and almost disappeared as a people. Over the last 40 years they have reclaimed their territory, their culture and their futures against all odds. They did this by developing the Plan de Vida, an exceptional approach for communities to re-envision and take control of their futures. Pioneered by the Misak in the 1980s, this approach has been adopted by hundreds of indigenous peoples and communities across South America and beyond.

Misak leaders Jeremias Tunubala and Liliana Pechene will be holding events with communities in Mull, Eigg, Skye, a residential training on Bute, and a final event at the Scottish Parliament.

The events will offer valuable insights on rebuilding community, reclaiming cultural identity, and collective visioning, and an opportunity to reflect on the synergies between the Misak’s indigenous approach and Scotland’s growing community empowerment and land rights movements.

The tour is being organised by LifeMosaic, a Scottish-based charity that works with indigenous peoples around the world to help build the capacity of communities and movements to protect their rights, cultures and territories. LifeMosaic is co-organising the tour with the Cabildo Misak (Misak leadership) and Scottish community organisations, educational institutions, and the Scottish Parliament.

All events are open to the public, to book a place please visit the links below:

Tues 24th – Wed 25th April, Isle of Mull, with North-West Mull Community Woodland Company: A series of events to learn from and reflect on the Misak experiences in the context of Mull’s history of clearances and loss, but also at a time when community ownership can bring economic, social and environmental benefits for Ulva, North West Mull, and beyond.

Fri 27th – Sat 28th April, Isle of Eigg, with the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust: Last year Eigg celebrated the 20th anniversary of their community buy-out. This visit will be an exchange sharing the experience of those 20 years, and the Misak experience of regaining their rights, culture and territory.

Wed 2nd May, Camuscross, Isle of Skye with Camuscross and Duisdale Initiative: A workshop on community-led development and an evening Ceilidh.

Thurs 3rd May, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (Gaelic College), Isle of Skye: Exchanging experiences on cultural revitalisation and the importance of mother tongue language and culture in community-led development.

Fri 4th- Sun 7th  May, An Tearman, Isle of Bute, with Centre for Human Ecology: a 3-day in depth residential workshop on Plan de Vida for practitioners and activists.

Tues 8th May, Edinburgh, with Mark Ruskell MSP: an evening at the Scottish Parliament about the Misak Plan de Vida, an exceptional indigenous approach to community visioning and planning.

Author: David Reilly, SCDC

I was recently lucky enough to be at Leith Chooses participatory budgeting event. Despite catching the end of snowmaggedon, 1,000 local people walked, slid, trudged and sledged (seriously) through the snow to be active citizens in their community by learning about 67 projects, organisations and people with ideas before voting on where public money should best be invested. Another 2,000 people voted online. Designed and delivered by what looked like a genuine partnership between community members, community councils and the City of Edinburgh Council, the purpose was to engage with the community and for the community to engage with itself.

At the event I met Sylvie Farquhar and was struck by how articulate she was, thoughtfully talking about the things that matter to her and with a gift for answering questions in full paragraphs. Sylvie told me:

“I came to vote because I want my voice to be heard and I think it’s important that the community get to decide and not just the Council. I voted for things that are important to me, less loneliness and homelessness”.

Sylvie was 8 years-old, yet in many participatory budgeting events and in most democratic processes, she wouldn’t have a voice because she wouldn’t have a vote. Even in Leith’s excellent process Sylvie wouldn’t have had a vote last year when she was 7.

Sylvie’s voice was as interesting, important and valuable as the 3,000 other people taking part. She is undeniably impressive and it’s tempting to say that she’s unique. But she’s not, we see young people getting involved at PB events across the country, each offering their ideas and opinions about the way things should be. And their opinion matters. My own 8 year- old daughter would provide full throated and detailed testimony to that.

Elsewhere, I helped support a PB process based in schools, aiming to empower people in a deprived area and lowering the cost of the school day. My role was to link to learning elsewhere and facilitate learning but avoid telling people what to do. The project delivered in spades, but wasn’t all plain sailing. Early in the process I was taken aback to be told that the steering group were debating whether children, the experts in schooling, should have a vote. My hand had rarely been bitten so hard.

How old is old enough?

Our attitude toward children and young people in Scotland sometimes confuses me.

We tell children how important it is that we are all fairly treated yet we can legally discriminate against anyone under the age of 18 for any reason.

We can hold children criminally responsible at 8 years old (although that is hopefully in the process of changing) but they get no say in those laws until they are 18.

We teach children and young people that their right to be heard and listened to in matters that affect them is a foundation of the Rights of the Child. Yet there is a slalom of seemingly arbitrary age limits preventing involvement in community events, local, Scottish and Westminster elections. After their family and home life, what can affect children more than the community and country that they live in?

We trust parents to decide when it’s appropriate and safe for a young person to be left at home or walk to school alone, but not to decide when they can meaningfully contribute to public decision making.

Let’s leave age limits in the past.

I’ve never grappled with a good reason why we can’t vote for our MP until we are 18 simply because there isn’t one not based on a lazy stereotype that our ability to make informed and respectable decisions is defined by our age. It’s only 100 years since the same argument was based on our sex and class.

I agree with UNICEF who say “Through participation at early ages in issues that concern them – far from promoting anarchy or disrespect for authority, or undermining parental authority – we see a generation of young people who are more respectful and concerned about their rights and the rights of others’.

At PB Scotland we work with people holding good participatory budgeting processes and are regularly asked advice on where voting ages should be set. With the most common age seeming to be 12. Yet, if equality is a key value of participatory budgeting, and if we would be rightly appalled at excluding older people because of their age, why would we do the same with younger people?

If participatory budgeting is riding the crest of a world-wide wave why not follow the example of Paris who distribute €100 million per year in a process decided by citizens with no age limit.

Participatory budgeting is about trusting the community to make good decisions.  We should trust children, families, parents and carers to decide when a child can meaningfully participate in a vote.  Deciding for them is the opposite of empowering.

Because if not 18, then when?  If, like the Scottish Independence referendum we decide on 16, why not 15?  If 12, why not let Sylvie vote at 8? And if Sylvie can vote about what’s important in her community, then why should there be any limit to what else can she decide on

Author: Laura Ferguson, Evening Express

An Aberdeen community has been given eight months to become the first in the north of Scotland to claim private land as its own.

Earlier this year a trust was set up to take over Bonnymuir Bowling Green, which was closed in 2015, and turn it into a market garden and cafe.

The group applied to the Scottish Government, asking for the rights to the land to be transferred under new community buyout powers.

While this process has been in use in rural Scotland, it was only made available to urban areas in 2015 – with just one successful application so far at a church in Edinburgh.

Last night it was confirmed that the ministers have decided to enter the land as a community interest, and gave the group until August 20 to conclude the purchase.

It initiated the buyout process claiming that the trustees of the Bowling Club had refused discussing community ownership.

But the trustees said this was because they had already been courting a private buyer.

Since the application, the trust has received backing from city council co-leader Jenny Laing, Conservative MP Tom Mason and Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald who said at the time: “I am calling on the Scottish Government to act in line with the best interests and the wishes of local people.”

SNP MSP Kevin Stewart said: “This will be welcome news for the folk in the trust who are working hard to make sure this land is retained to benefit the local community.

“There is of course a lot more to do and the countdown is now on for them to get a ballot of the community and a business plan together by August 20.

“I am a great believer in empowering communities and I hope this good news encourages more groups to seriously consider applying to register community interest in land which could benefit their local area.”

The community trust did not want to comment until it has received further legal advice and the terms of the buyout, which are expected to be confirmed within the next week.

The solicitor for the bowling green trustees could not be reached.

And since this article appeared the Trust have put their proposal to a ballot….

The question asked was –

Do you support Bonnymuir Green Community Trust’s proposal to buy the former Bonnymuir Bowling Green and clubhouse for the use and benefit of the community?

The official letter from the ERS stated the result as –

Number of votes cast FOR the proposal………….984

Number of votes cast AGAINST the proposal…….36

The returned ballots were 43% of the registered voters, which was higher than the last local elections and fantastic considering we lost 6 days as Ballot papers were delayed due to the severe weather.

The result is an incredible show of support from the Community for the project and the protection of urban green spaces. This project is all about Community and to have this level of support is just amazing and a clear mandate for the next stages of the Right to Buy process. Our Vision and Strategy Appraisal Report was submitted to Scottish Ministers on 16th March 2018 and their decision is expected early April 2018.

Author: Alasdair Clarke, Common Space

Govanhill Baths has been hit with a funding rejection from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) for a second year, reportedly jeopardising other funding secured by the trustees who have fought for 17 years to keep the building open.

Speaking to CommonSpace, SNP MP for the area Alison Thewliss described the decision by the RCGF to “overlook” Govanhill Bath’s bid as “deeply disappointing”.

“I am deeply disappointed by the recent decision made by the RCGF to overlook the Govanhill Baths’ bid for £2.1m of funding for their project proposals,” Thewliss said.

She added: “The plans to redevelop Govanhill Baths are the very embodiment of community empowerment, particularly as over 600 people bought Community Shares in the Baths to help with the funding effort. It is a shining example of people coming together for the benefit of their community.

“All this makes the decision not to grant funds all the more disappointing. I have spoken to Govanhill Baths Community Trust (GBCT) to discuss this matter, and to offer my ongoing support for the project in any way possible.”

Operated by GBCT, the Baths are owned as a cooperative model with nearly 600 locals owning shares. Since Glasgow City Council closed the building in 2001, the group have fought the keep it open and used it to fundraise for a regeneration plan.

Scottish Labour list MSP for Glasgow Anas Sarwar has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament, noting calls for the project to be “celebrated and financially supported as an inspirational campaign and a community ‘doing it for themselves’ in the face of adversity”.

Speaking to CommonSpace, Sarwar said: “I share the disappointment of the Govanhill Baths Community Trust and local residents on the refusal of their funding application. I have lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament recognising the important work it does in regenerating the community and their local built environment.

“It is a shining light in a community blighted by poverty and deprivation.” Anas Sarwar MSP

“The project is owned by 580 local people as a Cooperative “Community Benefit Society” and has a footfall of over 20,000 people even before the exciting plans for refurbishment. It is a shining light in a community blighted by poverty and deprivation.

“That is why Govanhill Baths should be celebrated and financially supported by an inspirational campaign and a community delivering change in the face of adversity.”

Fatima Uygun, trust manager of GBCT, told CommonSpace that the support shown to the group since the decision was made public had been “overwhelming”. She said: “We wish to thank all our friends and supporters for their messages of support in the last 48 hours. 

“We have been overwhelmed by phone calls, emails and messages on social media. This underlines why we will fight on to make sure the refurbishment goes ahead, it’s far too important to far too many people to accept this decision. United We Will Swim!”

Author: Senscot

To see Senscot briefing on Community Tourism

In 2012, an industry-led national tourism strategy, Tourism Scotland 2020 (TS2020), was published. The strategy, headed by the Scottish Tourism Alliance, stated a vision that “Scotland will be a destination of first choice for a high quality, value for money and memorable customer experience, delivered by skilled and passionate people”.

The strategy had two main focuses: identifying markets which offered the highest growth potential, and cultivating a greater level of collaboration between Scotland’s key tourist destinations. It is hoped that the strategy will see Scotland increase its total visitor spend from £4.5bn to over £5.5bn by 2020. However, a mid-term review indicated that, while the strategy’s framework remains fit for purpose, the target of a £1bn increase in visitor spend was still some way off.

Community-led tourism initiatives have an important role to play in achieving this goal, as recognised by the Scottish Government in a strategic letter of guidance to Visit Scotland, encouraging it to “engage regularly with Scotland’s communities to help them make the most of their own local tourism resources”.

Tourism-focussed social enterprises can empower communities to grow their individual tourism markets by putting local people and community assets at the heart of a collaborative approach to growing visitor numbers. Forging a network of local initiatives will be key if Scotland is to achieve the stated aims of TS2020.

Community tourism puts local people at the centre of the decision-making process to produce a tourist offering which benefits the whole community, not just a few businesses. It looks to build a strategy which allows small, local businesses to capture the footfall of visitors who are attracted to larger, popular local assets.

Encouraging the local community to take ownership of tourism in their area can help preserve historic and cultural heritage, improve management of land and assets for community use, encourage the development of new business opportunities, and improve the quality of services.

Communities are more likely to lead on tourism in rural areas, often those which are economically marginalised. Similar to social enterprise, communities are stepping in where they see a need that is not being met by the private or public sector. Ensuring that the economic benefits of tourism are spread across a community increases the buyin from local businesses, giving a concerted focus to any local tourism initiative. Connecting with community groups, the local tourism forum, development trusts, social enterprises and other tourism-related businesses in the planning of local tourism initiatives reinforces this ethos of community benefit.

A successful plan will also look to develop meaningful partnerships between the public, private and third sectors, as well as business to business. Can schools and local businesses build links to develop a better, shared knowledge of local heritage and community assets among young people in the area? Can local businesses work together to signpost each other’s products and services to tourists? Cumulatively, these small steps in partnership building can contribute to a vastly enhanced visitor experience, increasing the community’s tourist offer.

Some of the challenges included in driving projects forward are local politics, lack of resource, lack of knowledge, and poor infrastructure. Where national and local bodies have stepped in to help tackle these challenges there is greater success.

“We devised a programme of interactions with the community, the school and local businesses. WorldHost training and visitor experience training was available to young people so that when they worked in restaurants and bars at night they could pass on that information to the tourist. We then further developed it and introduced courses that are now SQA registered: travel and tourism, early education and childcare, which is another need within the community.” Yvonne Ross, Director, Dornoch CIC

Author: Peter Peacock

Land: For the many and not the few?

To read this discussion paper click here

SUMMARY OF JUSTIFICATIONS FOR CHANGE

To bring about the greater diversity in ownerships that is at the heart of contemporary land policy, taking action to limit the scale of land ownership and the effects of concentration of power within any landholding might be justified on five essential grounds:

 1. The way in which current ownership patterns inherently act against the greater fairness and social justice widely shared as a societal goal; 

2. The positive effects of fuller economic participation by more people;

 3. Addressing the market failure that limits participation to an increasingly rich few; 

4. Tackling the concentration of power, with some land ownerships being effective local land monopolies;  

5. The ability of reformed arrangements to empower more people and communities.

These justifications broadly align with the Land Commission’s strategic objectives around productivity, diversity and accountability.

They are also matters which broadly fall within the sort of justifications for policy interventions permissible by government under the Treasury `Green Book’xxviii which addresses questions of economic efficiency, market power, equity, additionality considerations which alter the productive capacity of the economy, and regeneration.