Author: Shetland Amenity Trust

Originally launched in 1988, Da Voar Redd Up quickly became the largest community based voluntary clear up throughout the UK, with over 20% of Shetland’s population regularly volunteering for the event.  Last year 4,605 participants collected over 67 tonnes of bruck from roadside verges, beaches and coastline.

 Sita Goudie, Environmental Improvement Project Officer with Shetland Amenity Trust, commented: “Now in its 30th year, Da Voar Redd Up has so far removed close to 1,800 tonnes of bruck from our environment. We look forward to welcoming back existing groups, as well as new volunteers, to this year’s event. It is these volunteers who make the Redd Up the success it is and show just how committed Shetland is to caring for the environment. What is achieved through Da Voar Redd Up is incredible, and we expect 2017 to be as successful as ever.”

As well as providing an opportunity for the community to improve their environment, taking part in the Redd Up can raise funds for local groups through sponsorship, and businesses and schools can earn points towards environmental schemes and awards. Young Scot card holders can also earn points through the Young Scot Reward Scheme.

Shetland Amenity Trust supplies gloves and bags for the Redd Up, and takes away all the bruck collected, free of charge. The bruck is then sorted by Augean North Sea Services in their base at Greanhead to remove all of the recyclable items before the rest is safely disposed of at the Shetland Islands Council Waste Management Facility. The Trust would like to thank Augean for providing their workforce and services free of charge.

 The Trust would also like to thank other organisations who are supporting the 2017 Voar Redd Up, including Shetland Charitable Trust, World Animal Protection, BP Sullom Voe, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Shetland Islands Council.

 For further information contact Shetland Amenity Trust on (01595) 694688; e-mail info@shetlandamenity.org or visit the webpage: www.shetlandamenity.org/da-voar-redd-up.

Author: Triodos

Community housing project repopulates threatened remote island scheme

The Ulva Ferry community on the Isle of Mull have welcomed two new families who have moved into the first designated affordable rental housing to be built in the area for decades.

Just six years ago, the community was under threat of losing its primary school due to long-term population decline brought about by the lack of affordable housing options for young people.  Now, with the families bringing six children to the area, Ulva Ferry’s future sustainability has been assured.

The new houses have been built as a joint venture between the Ulva School Community Association (USCA) and Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT), and are situated right next to Ulva Primary School. 

The Ulva Ferry community have been at the heart of the project from the outset: from choosing the architect and finalising the design, to agreeing the allocation policy.  Community-led housing projects are never the easy option, but the completion of these houses is testament to the dedication of local community members and the project team.

The Housing Project has been funded by the Scottish Land Fund, Argyll & Bute Council, the Trusthouse Charitable Foundation, the Quaker Housing Trust, the Scottish Government’s Rural Housing Fund, Triodos Bank, USCA, a significant anonymous bequest, and over £22,500 in local donations through a high-profile crowdfunding campaign.

New tenant, Samantha Wright, said, “We are thrilled to be moving into this beautiful new home, everyone has been very welcoming and our daughter can’t wait to settle into Ulva Primary School.  Having previously had to move frequently from one private let to another, it is very comforting to know we can make this house our long-term home.”

Housing Project Manager, Helen MacDonald, said, “We are just delighted to see these two families moving into the new houses, we hope they are very happy in them for many years to come.  This community housing project proves that social housing can be innovative and stylish, as well as affordable for tenants to live in.  The level of interest from potential tenants was significant, giving us the impetus to plan further affordable housing in the Ulva Ferry area.”

Invaluable support on the project was also provided by West Highland Housing Association, Rural Housing Scotland, Community Land Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.  The innovative houses have been built by local contractors Norman MacDonald Builders, and designed by Tobermory-based Thorne Wyness Architects, using Passive House principles: the very modern design and technical systems, with high insulation levels offers tenants very low heating bills, as well as affordable rents. 

Author: DTAS

Conference programme and booking details for DTAS conference can be accessed here

Author: HIE

Scotland’s largest community broadband network, which was developed by local people to bring better connections to some of Lochaber’s hardest to reach broadband spots, is expanding.

Locheilnet Community Interest Company was created by a group of volunteers in 2012. Their aim was to develop a fast, reliable wireless broadband service for areas around Loch Eil, Treslaig, and further north at Clunes and Achnacarry.

The successful project has expanded in recent years and currently provides a wireless internet service to many outlying areas of Fort William; it reaches from Glenfinnan in the west, Kentallen in the south, to as far north as South Laggan.

Locheilnet has almost 400 customers on the network who are able to access download speeds of more than 20Mbps.

Community Broadband Scotland (CBS), a Scottish Government initiative delivered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), is supporting the group’s expansion with a second round of funding to help them upgrade and extend their core infrastructure.

The £42,000 award will mean Locheilnet can upgrade its core network, including new masts at Treslaig and Tulloch. The investment will see increased capacity for the existing network and the opportunity to expand. This includes the delivery of superfast broadband to Kilmalieu, and also at Tulloch, near Roy Bridge.

Jackie Wright, Chair of Locheilnet, said: “This is really great news. We already provide a robust, fast broadband service to almost 400 rural householders and businesses.  This funding will allow us to serve some of our even more remote areas.  We’re hoping that during the summer we will have statutory permissions in place and start work on getting the infrastructure built.  I’d particularly like to thank people in the community who have helped to plan the project, and also to the landowners in each area who are very supportive.”

Calum Stiven at CBS commented: “Locheilnet, which is a not for profit group, was set up by people who knew first-hand the difficulties of living with poor broadband speeds. They are a leading example of what a community can achieve for themselves and others. We’re delighted that this investment will support them to expand, bringing the benefits of better broadband to more people in the Lochaber area.” 

Author: CalMac

CalMac is inviting applications from residents of the rural communities covered by the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract to form a Community Board which will have the primary purpose of being a voice of the communities on strategic issues.

Creation of the board was part of CalMac’s successful bid to operate west coast ferry services for the next eight years, along with the appointment of a Director of Community and Stakeholder Engagement, a post which has been filled by Brian Fulton.

Mr Fulton said: “CalMac has always placed a high priority on stakeholder engagement activities and has traditionally managed this through a combination of formal and informal meetings and events. However the scale of our network and the way people are spread across it means this can be a challenge.

“Therefore the Community Board is being formed to bring the aspirations of local communities directly to the main CalMac board with a view to driving economic growth. After widespread informal discussions with local representatives from across the network we have created its ‘Terms of Reference’ and are ready to start recruiting members.”

Twelve members will sit on the Community Board plus an independent, paid, chair. It will be separate from the CalMac board with secretariat services provided by CalMac’s Community and Stakeholder Engagement Directorate. CalMac will not be represented on the board.

Mr Fulton added: “We are keen that the board focuses on the high level strategic issues facing their communities, and we also see it as a great opportunity to bring together a group of people who are knowledgeable and well-informed about the network as a whole and not just their own area or route.

“We want to be sure that the Community Board remains fresh and relevant and therefore propose that membership will be for twelve months in the first instance while the board is set up, with the expectation that after that membership will be for twenty-four months, with the option of an extension.

The Board will meet twice a year with travel and reasonable out of pocket expenses reimbursed. It is proposed that the first board meeting will take place in early October 2017.

For details of the Community Board’s full terms of reference and an application form are available atwww.calmac.co.uk/careers/community-board

Author: Scottish Towns Partnership

For the third year running, Scotland’s Towns Partnership and the Cross Party Group for Towns and Town Centres are encouraging MSPs to take the opportunity during recess (1st July – 3rd September) to spend time in their local town. 

We are also seeking interest from town centre managers, community groups, local business organisations and other town stakeholders to host an MSP for the day in their town. 

MSPs are welcome to take part by spending a day in their local area, connecting and sharing with local businesses and the community. We want to raise the profile of our towns to MSPs and this is an important campaign to celebrate and raise awareness of the opportunities and barriers our towns face. Scotland’s cities and small and rural towns and settlements are also welcome to take part.

 John Scott MSP, Convenor of the Cross Party Group on Towns and Town Centres, encouraged MSPs to get involved in this year’s programme, stating: 

“The majority of Scotland’s population lives in towns and smaller settlements. Vibrant towns are key to the prosperity and wellbeing of communities across the country, with each town having its own unique identity and history which should be recognised and celebrated. 

I welcome the MSP Connector Programme as a positive initiative to raise the profile of our towns. I encourage MSPs to visit their local towns this recess in order to connect with local communities, to learn about current challenges and successes, and to discover all our towns and town centres have to offer”.

STP will invite MSPs to take part in a visit and for towns and business to host their MSP. The visit may include a walk around, presentation, lunch, work experience or something a little more creative! We are looking for lots of tweets, photos and highlights from the visits to help us raise the profile of Scotland’s towns. 

By sharing your experiences with STP, we can disseminate these with the wider towns’ network and add to best practice examples for all to access. An online Storify report will summarise highlights from all of the visits! 

STP along with the Cross Party Group on Towns and Town Centres are therefore keen to hear about the activity taking place in towns across Scotland and we would be delighted if you’d like to take part.

 Join the discussion on Twitter @ScotlandsTowns #MSPTownTime.

To take part either as an MSP or a host, please register your interest with Alison Jones via alison@scotlandstowns.org · 07747 772712.

Author: SCVO

Will the Lobbying Act affect me?

A look at who’ll be affected when new Lobbying (Scotland) Act starts.

You might be wondering if the Lobbying Act is going to affect your organisation. Well, it’s a bit complicated. So you need to think about a few things.

Consider this

1. Does your organisation have any face-to-face or video conferencing engagement with MSPs, Ministers, Special Advisers or the Permanent Secretary outside of formal Parliamentary proceedings?

No – you don’t need to register. Just carry on as you are.

Yes – keep reading.

2. Is any of this engagement carried out by paid members of staff?

No – stop reading now.

Yes – stay with me.

3. Is all of this engagement only with local (constituency or list) MSPs in constituencies or regions where your organisation operates?

No – you need to read my next point.

Yes – Congrats! You will not have to register, unless your local MSP happens to also be a Minister, and/or you are lobbying on behalf of a third party.

4. Does your organisation have members?

No – have a look at my next point.

Yes – you might* well have to register. Skip to the Q&A.

5. Does your organisation have ten or more ‘full time equivalent’ paid employees (e.g. the equivalent of ten or more people paid to work thirty five hours a week, made up by any combination of part-time or full-time workers)?

No – you won’t need to register.

Yes – you have to register. Skip to the Q&A.

Q&A

If you’re still with me, I’m assuming you need to register. Here’s a Q&A to help work out what happens now.

Q: What’s the timescale?

A: The Act will need some clear guidance to run alongside it, which is currently being developed through a working group. Current plans is for the Act to start operating early 2018, with the guidance out in autumn 2017.

Q: Does that mean I can just forget about the Act until told to do otherwise?

A: It won’t hurt to start thinking about what you might need to do once the lobbying register becomes a reality. This means that when it comes to writing the guidance, we’ll be able flag up to Parliamentary officials any niggles or questions that you have.

Q: Oh my goodness, I have hundreds of volunteers/clubs/groups who meet MSPs on my organisation’s behalf. How can I record all of their meetings when I don’t even know about them?!

A: Don’t worry, you are not expected to record those meetings. Any voluntary activity for your organisation is completely excluded from the register. That includes the work of charity trustees (who are legally different from Trustees of trusts, so don’t worry if you see the latter mentioned in the legislation). And we hope that you know what your paid staff members are getting up to!

Q: You say that, but I run an organisation with loads of services all around the country. If one of my service managers has a conversation with their local MSP about local service provision, they might not tell me about that at all.

A: Again, no need to worry here. The Act excludes constituency business, so if your staff are speaking to local MSPs in their local area, you don’t have to register that activity (unless that MSP is a Minister too).

Q: Okay, I’m going to have to register my organisation. What do I need to do?

A: If your organisation is a company (within the meaning of the Companies Act 2006), you will have to submit its name, its registered number, registered office address, the names of its directors and of any secretary, and the names of any shadow directors.

Otherwise you’ll just need to register the name of the organisation, and the main office or place of business address. You’ll also have to submit details of any lobbying meetings you’ve had in the last 30 days.

Q: And after that?

A: You’ll have to submit details of any lobbying meetings you’ve had every six months, starting from when you first went on the register. They are called ‘returns’.

Q: Returns eh? What will they contain?

A: The name of the person lobbied, the date on which the person was lobbied, the location at which the person was lobbied, a description of the meeting, event or other circumstances in which the lobbying occurred, the name of the individual who did the lobbying, the purpose of the lobbying, and also whether or not the lobbying was carried out for your organisation or on behalf of another organisation.

If you haven’t had any meetings in a six month period, then just send in a statement saying you didn’t hold any regulated meetings in that period.

Q: Okay, what about Cross Party Groups? And Parliamentary receptions?

A: Activity in quorate meetings of Cross Party Groups are excluded completely, so no need to worry there – although any activity taking place outside of those meetings, including immediately before or after, will need to be registered. Parliamentary receptions will be included, but it will be for your guests to register themselves and record any interactions they have with MSPs or Ministers at your event if they need to.

Q: Um, I sit on lots of steering groups that Ministers and so on are on too – at their request. Do I have to register those?

A: Maybe. There is an exclusion in the guidance for the giving of factual information and views at the request of the MSP or Minister, so it depends I suspect on how ‘factual’ your input is. One to check on once the guidance comes out I expect.

Q: I have a slight confession to make. I’m not always totally clear if I’m speaking to an MSP or not – sorry, I just don’t always recognise them, especially when they’re new! Will it be incumbent on an MSP to tell me they’re an MSP if I meet them at an event or whatever so that I can make sure I register it?

A: I think you’re just going to have to get better at owning up to your ignorance and asking for their full name, and then making sure you note it down. Or ask for their business card. The legislation has nothing about what MSPs, Ministers, or Special Advisers have to do to help organisations comply – so it’ll be down to you to make sure you’re covered.

Q: I’ve just got back from one of the party conferences. Does this register mean that if I’m sitting on a stand and speak to 50 MSPs that day, I have to record the detail of every one of those interactions? Or can I just say that I was at the conference on a stand and leave it at that?

A: On my reading of the legislation as it stands, I think you would have to record each and every conversation.

Q: I had a grand old time at the Gathering in February and asked a question of the First Minister, which she answered. Would I need to register that, even though the question was asked in public at an open event?

A: Yes, I’m afraid so. Get used to carrying around a pen and paper!

Q: Right, one last thing: I play football with a couple of MSPs I know from school, and sometimes they ask me how work is and I maybe tell them about a campaign we’re running or whatever – does that have to be registered too?

A: Good question. It depends on whether you are lobbying or not, and it seems to come down to you making a fair and honest assessment of that. Where the lobbying took place, if it is lobbying, is irrelevant.

*More to come on this soon – in the meantime, give me a call on 0131 474 8001 if you’ve any questions. Or drop me an email on jenny.bloomfield@scvo.org.uk.

Author: Scottish Government

An app for the Place Standard has been developed for the first time. It is now available to download for free for Android or Apple smartphones or tablets.

Over the coming weeks, the Place Standard team would like to hear what you think about the app so that they can update it and ensure it becomes the best tool possible. If you have any comments, please email the team at placestandard@gov.scot.

Author: Rupert Jones, The Guardian

When the only pub in the Cumbrian village of Crosby Ravensworth closed its doors in 2009, residents decided they were not prepared to simply sit back and accept the loss of a vital community hub. They took matters into their own hands, setting up a financial co-operative to bring their local back to life – which meant putting in their own money.

For a minimum investment of £250, villagers and others sympathetic to the cause could become a “co-owner” of the Butchers Arms. A May 2011 article in the Guardian highlighting the venture contributed to a surge in the number of people signing up, and it was not long before the target was reached, allowing the co-operative to buy the pub, refurbish it and open its doors once again to drinkers and diners (the then-prime minister, David Cameron, even popped along to officially open the bar).

Six years on, the Butchers Arms is thriving and very much “back on the map”, said husband-and-wife landlords Jon and Katie Metcalfe. In 2011, co-operative pubs owned by members were a rarity – there were only about half a dozen others – but it seems the idea of local people taking ownership of a vital amenity has caught on. A report issued this week revealed that the number of co-operative pubs open for business has now reached 50 and there are 90 groups actively exploring setting one up.

The report from Plunkett Foundation, a charity that supports community-owned businesses, said these locally owned and run enterprises “are prospering where private enterprise has failed”.

It’s a relatively rare shaft of good news for an industry that has been buffeted by a range of factors, from people increasingly opting to either stock up on cheap supermarket booze or pricier craft beers they can drink at home, to high pub rents and wholesale beer prices. According to the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), 21 British pubs every week are calling last orders for good, though if the community-owned pub revolution gathers pace, that pace could slow.

The sector may still be relatively small, but it is growing fast. In 1988 there was only one co-operative pub registered, and in 2004 there were just three. But the number had climbed to 46 by the end of 2016, hit 50 last month, and is likely to reach 57 by the end of 2017, said the report. Perhaps remarkably, bearing in mind that in many cases these were previously failing or defunct businesses, not a single co-operative pub has closed, “maintaining an impressive 100% survival rate”, said Plunkett Foundation.

The north-west of England and Wales are home to the largest numbers of co-operative pubs, and while many are located in rural areas, there are a number in towns and cities. The Ivy House in Nunhead, south-east London, is one of two co-operatively owned pubs in the capital – the other is the Antwerp Arms in Tottenham – and was saved by a dedicated group of volunteers who raised £1m to buy the freehold and refurbish the property after it was closed down by Enterprise Inns in 2012 and sold to a property developer.

Now it is a key part of the community and plays host to a dizzying array of events – from lindy hop and children’s ukulele classes to yoga and knitting sessions – as well as live music, comedy nights, and all the things you would expect: pub quizzes, birthday parties/weddings/funeral wakes etc. “We’re doing well, we have a loyal community around us,” said a spokeswoman for the Ivy House, which has 371 member owners (also known as shareholders).

The 50th co-operative pub to open is the Craufurd Arms in Maidenhead, Berkshire, within Theresa May’s constituency. It was described by the Co-operative & Community Finance organisation as “a rare example of an ungentrified local in the affluent Royal Borough of Windsor” that was well known locally for its good beer, darts teams and showing sport on TV. A so-called community benefit society made up of 226 members recently bought the pub, and it is open for business, with a “grand opening weekend” planned for 21-23 July. It is not clear yet whether the prime minister will be cutting the ceremonial ribbon.

Locals sprang into action when the owner, Wellington Pub Company, announced it wished to dispose of the property. A fundraising share issue opened in February 2017 and raised £310,000 from people investing sums between £250 and £25,000.

With a grant from the More Than a Pub programme and a loan from Co-operative & Community Finance, this was enough to proceed with the purchase, and the transfer of ownership was accomplished without any interruption to the business of serving customers.

Back at the Butchers Arms in Cumbria, Jon Metcalfe said the pub was “going from strength to strength – we have people travelling from quite far and wide to visit us”. However, he admitted he was initially a little apprehensive about working for a business that in effect has 330 member owners. Many of the customers and pub employees “own part of the brickwork”, and he had wondered whether he might find himself having to deal with regulars saying: “I own this building, I don’t want to pay that much for a pint.” But his worries proved unfounded: “No one ever pulls rank – we are very much left to run the business.”

Kitty Smith, secretary of the co-operative that bought the Butchers Arms, said the 2011 Guardian piece about the fundraising had made a big difference: “I can remember receiving £21,000 the following Tuesday after the article appeared.” While many of the members live locally, some come from as far afield as Alaska and Australia. So does she visit the pub much herself? “I’m going there tonight – I’m never away,” said Smith. “The food is amazing – Thai prawn curry tonight.”

Some of the schemes to finance the purchase of co-operative pubs offer those participating the bonus of a financial return. In the case of the Butchers Arms, the co-operative is paying 3% interest a year – more than the vast majority of savings accounts offer.

Author: Fiona Harvey Environment correspondent, Guardian

World has three years left to stop dangerous climate change, warn experts

Former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres: “We stand at the doorway of being able to bend the emissions curve downwards by 2020.”

Avoiding dangerous levels of climate change is still just about possible, but will require unprecedented effort and coordination from governments, businesses, citizens and scientists in the next three years, a group of prominent experts has warned.

Warnings over global warming have picked up pace in recent months, even as the political environment has grown chilly with Donald Trump’s formal announcement of the US’s withdrawal from the Paris agreement. This year’s weather has beaten high temperature records in some regions, and 2014, 2015 and 2016 were the hottest years on record.

But while temperatures have risen, global carbon dioxide emissions have stayed broadly flat for the past three years. This gives hope that the worst effects of climate change – devastating droughts, floods, heatwaves and irreversible sea level rises – may be avoided, according to a letter published in the journal Nature this week.

The authors, including former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres and Hans Joachim Schellnhuber of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, argue that the next three years will be crucial. They calculate that if emissions can be brought permanently lower by 2020 then the temperature thresholds leading to runaway irreversible climate change will not be breached.

Figueres, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, under whom the Paris agreement was signed, said: “We stand at the doorway of being able to bend the emissions curve downwards by 2020, as science demands, in protection of the UN sustainable development goals, and in particular the eradication of extreme poverty. This monumental challenge coincides with an unprecedented openness to self-challenge on the part of sub-national governments inside the US, governments at all levels outside the US, and of the private sector in general. The opportunity given to us over the next three years is unique in history.”

Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, added: “The maths is brutally clear: while the world can’t be healed within the next few years, it may be fatally wounded by negligence [before] 2020.”

Scientists have been warning that time is fast running out to stave off the worst effects of warming, and some milestones may have slipped out of reach. In the Paris agreement, governments pledged an “aspirational” goal of holding warming to no more than 1.5C, a level which it is hoped will spare most of the world’s lowest-lying islands from inundation. But a growing body of research has suggested this is fast becoming impossible.

Paris’s less stringent, but firmer, goal of preventing warming from exceeding 2C above pre-industrial levels is also in doubt.

The authors point to signs that the trend of upward emissions is being reversed, and to technological progress that promises lower emissions for the future. Renewable energy use has soared, creating a foundation for permanently lowering emissions. Coal use is showing clear signs of decline in key regions, including China and India. Governments, despite Trump’s pronouncements, are forging ahead with plans to reduce greenhouse gases.

The authors called for political and business leaders to continue tackling emissions and meeting the Paris goals without the US. “As before Paris, we must remember that impossible is not a fact, it’s an attitude,” they wrote.

They set out six goals for 2020 which they said could be adopted at the G20 meeting in Hamburg on 7-8 July. These include increasing renewable energy to 30% of electricity use; plans from leading cities and states to decarbonise by 2050; 15% of new vehicles sold to be electric; and reforms to land use, agriculture, heavy industry and the finance sector, to encourage green growth.

Prof Gail Whiteman said the signs from technical innovation and economics were encouraging: “Climate science underlines the unavoidable urgency of our challenge, but equally important is the fact that the economic, technical and social analyses show that we can resoundingly rise to the challenge through collective action.”

While the greenhouse gases poured into the atmosphere over the last two centuries have only gradually taken effect, future changes are likely to be faster, scientists fear. Johan Rockström of the Stockholm Resilience Centre said: “We have been blessed by a remarkably resilient planet over the past 100 years, able to absorb most of our climate abuse. Now we have reached the end of this era, and need to bend the global curve of emissions immediately, to avoid unmanageable outcomes for our modern world.”