FINTRY DEVELOPMENT TRUST STEPS-IN AFTER COUNCIL FAILS ON WEEKLY BUS PROMISE TO PENSIONERS

Following a decision taken by Stirling Council to withdraw funding, Fintry Development Trust has offered temporary support for a weekly bus service that takes pensioners on shopping trips from the village direct to Stirling, with residents saying that the council are reneging on a promise made by officers in 2010.

Jamie Pearson, chair of Fintry Community Council said, “For many of our older residents this is their only chance to get out and about with any degree of independence. If we lost the bus then many would be left at home, dependent on neighbours for help.”

David Howell, chair of Fintry Development Trust said, “We felt it was particularly insensitive of the council to withdraw support for this service just a few weeks before Christmas and as part of the sustainable-travel element of our work we’re happy to be able to provide the support necessary to keep the service running temporarily over this period while discussions continue with the council.”

1. For more information contact Jamie Pearson, Fintry Community Council on 01360 860 345 or Kelly McIntyre, Fintry Development Trust on 07769 204 560.

2. For more information about Fintry Development Trust, see:

http://www.fintrydt.org.uk/

18/12/13

Author: Third Force News - 22/11/13

Islanders on Tiree are considering a bid to buy the isle, most of which is owned by the Duke of Argyll.

The 20,000 acre island is mostly owned by the Duke’s Argyll Estates but islanders are concerned a lack of inward investment is leading to depopulation.

Inhabitants are also worried that plans for a massive offshore windfarm, which would occupy between four and five times the area of the entire island, could still go ahead despite previously fighting off plans for its construction.

Community campaigners are currently embarking on a feasibility study to see if Tiree, which lies west of Mull, can carve a future out of tourism, crofting and fishing should the buyout be successful.

A spokesman for the Tiree Community Development Trust said there were fears for the future of the community under current ownership.

“We don’t think the duke is a bad landlord; it’s just Tiree has a community that wants more say in the island’s development.

“We have ambitious plans we’re interested in developing but we’ve no idea how much cash or effort will be involved. The will, however, is there.”

Andrew Montgomery, factor of Argyll Estates and a spokesman for Torquhil Campbell, the Duke of Argyll, has indicated opposition to a full community buyout.

He said: “I don’t think there is too much support for the proposal. I have spoken to a number of people who would be against it for one reason or another.

“The duke has a great fondness for Tiree and they go over every year for their holidays. It’s not a flat-out no, but there’s reasons for and against on both sides I think. It’s something we need to look at further.”

It comes as plans for extending the community right to buy in Scotland to places with populations of more than 10,000 people are being considered under a public consultation.

The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Bill, which is open for consultation until 24 January, proposes extending the community right to buy outwith current legislation.

At present it only allows communities with a population of less than 10,000 to apply for the opportunity to buy land when it comes up for sale.

Proposals contained in the consultation also ask for opinions on a compulsory power for communities to buy neglected or abandoned land without waiting for it to be put on the market.

And the document suggests that Scottish charitable incorporated organisations should be able to register a community interest in land, which currently only companies limited by guarantee are able to do.

The Scottish Government hopes the proposed changes will help it achieve its target of transferring one million acres of land into community ownership by 2020, which was announced in June by Alex Salmond.

Derek Mackay, Scottish local government and planning minister, said: “The bill will help community groups to take over public land and buildings where they think they can make better use of them than their current public sector owners.

“It will also reform the community right to buy, giving urban communities in Scotland the same rights as rural communities, where it is in the public interest.”

Author: Community Land Scotland

We received over 200 entries for the photography competition which ran from June to November of this year. The fantastic range of entries show off the wonderful scenery, people, wildlife and everything else which makes Scotland’s areas in, and aspiring to be in, community ownership special.

Huge thanks to all who entered the competition, and thanks to Skye-based photographer Cailean Maclean who judged the competition.

These winning entries can be viewed here

Congratulations go to:

Adult category

Overall winner: Trevor Hunter with “Sand Patterns” on the Isle of Eigg

Member winner: Andy Tibbetts with “Five in One” from Knoydart showing Eigg, Rum, Sleat and South Uist

‘Land’ winner: Andy Walker with “Balnakeil Bay” in Durness

‘People’ winner: Brian Doyle with “Wes the Dry Stane Dyke Builder” on the Isle of Eigg

‘Other’ winner:  Chris Murray with “Moonlit stones” at Callanish (Carloway)

Under 16s category

Overall winner: Bailey Forbes with “Dragonfly in Knoydart”

Member winner: Ollie MacArthur with “My Homeland”, Isle of Tiree

‘Land’ winner: Josh Nelson with “Black Sandy from Sheshader Bay” in Point (Stornoway)

‘People’ winner: Joan Macleod with “Shepherd in the hills” in the Bays of Harris

‘Other’ winner: Lois Morrison with “Peatstack and Tractor” in Breasclete (Carloway)

These winning entries can be viewed here

All entries will be published shortly on our Flikr and Facebook pages.

Author: Blog by Jenny Bloomfield, SCVO Policy Officer

Is it okay that our sector, which strives to be a force for good – whatever area we work in – uses these contracts?

It damages our reputations and more importantly, it damages our ability to carry out our work.

Many say that these contracts suit employees, but in our survey, more than two in three of these contracts were instigated by employers, not employees.

Perhaps we in the third sector know how to use these contracts fairly, and don’t exploit employees?

I wish I could say that is true, but a report from the Resolution Foundation suggests otherwise. They quoted a Day Services Support worker working for a well-known UK charity:

“After 8 months working as a day services support worker I became seriously ill […]. The day after, and I have no doubt the two are linked, several of the girls and I were brought in and told that the company had to make a few “little tweaks” to our contracts. […] [M]y line-manager told me I either signed the new [zero hours] contract or I could leave the company.”

We all know that sessional or bank work is a practical solution to changes in demand and dealing with staff absences, but as a sector, we mustn’t let exploitation of workers – like that described above – occur.

People absolutely must not be pushed onto zero hours contracts, or be left with the choice of only a zero hours contract or no job. It damages our reputations and more importantly, it damages our ability to carry out our work.

So, what to do? The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development recently released a report with recommendations for employers using contracts with few guaranteed hours.  These include:

•             Only using such contracts where the flexibility inherent in these types of arrangement suits both the organisation and the individual.

•             Considering whether such contracts are appropriate and if there are alternative means of providing flexibility for the organisation, for example, through the use of annualised hours.

•             Providing workers with reasonable compensation if pre-arranged work is cancelled with no notice.

•             Ensuring that there are comparable rates of pay for people doing the same job regardless of differences in their employment status.

None of this is rocket science.  But it is clear that if we are to protect our reputation, our workers and those we support, we must act.  We cannot let ourselves be sucked into poor treatment of our workers.

This is not about more money, but about treating our workers as fairly as we wish those we support to be treated. Workers’ rights are too important to ignore.

Phoenix Cinema – best example of community led regeneration – SURF 2013 awards

The outcomes of the prestigious 2013 SURF Awards for Best Practice in Community Regeneration were announced recently at a celebratory presentation event in Glasgow’s Radisson Hotel.

Representatives of the five winning initiatives for 2013 were personally congratulated on their inspiring work by Margaret Burgess MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Housing and Welfare.

Margaret Burgess MSP, Minister for Housing and Welfare, said: “The SURF Awards highlight the hard work and remarkable outcomes achieved by organisations whose aims are to regenerate their local communities. This is such an inspiring event for the Scottish Government as regeneration plays a crucial part in the improvement of our physical, economic and social landscape. Congratulations should go to all who took part, including, of course, the winners themselves.”

The 2013 SURF Award results were decided upon by a panel of 21 independent judges drawn from national regeneration agencies and community groups. After carefully scoring over 50 project applications, and then visiting 15 different shortlisted initiatives from the length and breadth of Scotland, the five category winning projects were announced as:

Town Centre Regeneration Category – Stromness Townscape Heritage Initiative

Support to Work Category – Project SEARCH Scotland

Infrastructure & Social Benefits Category – Orkney Micro-Renewables Community Interest Company

Creative Regeneration Category – The Portal, Govan

Community Led Regeneration Category  – Oban Phoenix Cinema

More on the Oban Phoenix Cinema…..

What is the aim of the project?

To respond to a local ‘save our cinema’ campaign by reopening a popular and unique cultural venue as a community­run facility.

Where is it taking place?

Oban Phoenix Cinema is located in central Oban and serves the wider north Argyll & Bute region.

What has been achieved?

The cinema was purchased by the community in 2011 after a local campaign to save the building, which closed the previous year, gained extensive support from the local community and further afield – including Dame Judi Dench and Robbie Coltrane. Those in Oban, Lorne and nearby islands faced major challenges in accessing mainstream cultural activities, and with the cinema closed, a 200 mile round trip was required to the nearest alternative in Glasgow or Inverness. The cinema reopened in August 2012 as a community­run social enterprise offering a high­class cinema experience. In its first year, attendances have exceeded 50,000 and the cinema is among the highest average attendance as a proportion of population across the UK. With £400k investment in the last two years, the turnover for year one was an impressive £139k, with a surplus of £12k. It also employs nine people and has a bank of 80 local volunteers. On top of being a successful cinema and contributing to the town’s economic development and tourism, the initiative has a strong social focus. There has been particular success in responding to wider community needs by running a youth volunteering programme and providing arts & social opportunities for older people.

Who is running it?

A committee of volunteers manage the cinema, which was purchased on behalf of the community with the assistance of loan finance from Social Investment Scotland, a grant from Highlands & Islands Enterprise and significant community fundraising. Everybody in the community is allowed to be a member of the social enterprise. There are currently 81 members, who democratically appoint Directors at the AGM.

Why did the judging panel like it?

The judges were impressed with the dedication of the core community group, which used its mixed skills base to garner support for the re­birth of the cinema using a mixed funding package. They were clear that the cinema makes a considerable contribution to joint efforts to help make Oban a more attractive place to live in and to visit. The range of services offered by the venue is substantial, and provides much­needed support networks for local residents.

To see the new logo and website click here

The Common Weal held a launch party at The Arches, Glasgow on Sunday 8th December.  Over 600 people came along to see the launch of the new Common Weal logo, designed by Glasgow based design agency Tangent. It is an image that represents a hope for a better society, it is an image to represent balance and it is designed to be able to live outside the realms of professional politics.  Comedian Bruce Morton, singer Karine Polwart and actor Tam Dean Burn kept everyone entertained. Our new website was also launched on Sunday for Common Weal, based on the message ‘All of us First’.  To see what popular politics might look like click here. We also launched a range of Common Weal t-shirts for sale, with inspiring slogans written by Alan Bisset, Liz Lochhead, Louise Welsh and James Robertson.

Author: Scottish Rural Action

Scotland’s first Rural Parliament has moved a step closer with the appointment of a Coordinator to oversee the organisation of the inaugural event.

Scottish Rural Action, the group set up to manage the process, has appointed Emma Cooper (pictured) an experienced organisation manager and community worker who lives on the Island of Bute, to take forward the plans which were announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs earlier this year.

This will be the first Rural Parliament for Scotland and will be modelled on Rural Parliaments which have been taking place across Europe for the last 20 years. Ministers said that the Rural Parliament will “empower Scotland’s rural communities by bringing people and policy makers together to look at improving policies and actions that address rural issues.”

Ms Cooper was appointed by Scottish Rural Action, the group responsible for developing and organising the Scottish Rural Parliament. Scottish Rural Action’s board comprises representatives from organisations working with rural communities across Scotland including Scottish Community Alliance, Community Land Scotland, Development Trust Association Scotland, Community Woodlands Association and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.

Ms Cooper is currently working for Bute Forest Ltd which manages community-owned land on the Isle of Bute and for which she was short-listed for the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Environment Award earlier this year.

Ms Cooper said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the people of rural Scotland to have a real voice in policy development and to work with decision-makers in considering the challenges that face our rural communities. The model has been successful elsewhere in Europe and we hope that the project will stimulate similar levels of community empowerment here in Scotland.”

John Hutchison, chair of Scottish Rural Action said: “Creating Scotland’s Rural Parliament is a great privilege for those who have the responsibility to make it happen.  We look forward to welcoming Emma to the team in January, with her enthusiasm, drive and track record.”

You can see our previous coverage of the road to the Rural Parliament here.

Author: Sheila McKechnie Foundation

  Campaign Central – A place to network and learn for campaigners across Scotland

 For people across Scotland who are speaking out and taking action on issues that matter to them and their communities – from wind farms to Scottish independence – Campaign Central, the online hub for campaigners, is a valuable tool.

 You can access country specific resources. These have been written by a Scottish Regional Coordinator – someone who knows the landscape, context and specific difficulties faced by people campaigning in Scotland. These resources range from getting to grips with how to influence the Scottish Parliament, to information about funding contacts and opportunities in Scotland.

 A new online campaigners’ forum has also launched where you can share knowledge and ask questions. You can connect with others who you may not otherwise have the chance to, building coalitions to make your voice stronger.

 So if you’re struggling to get your campaign off the ground or you don’t know how to best influence your local authority, you can post a question on the Campaign Central forum for another seasoned campaigner to answer.

 Alternatively, if you’ve successfully taken action on something – or you have ideas about how to speak out and influence – then why not share your tips, tools and tactics with others. That way, people who may not otherwise know where or how to access advice will feel less isolated or unsure.

Campaigners and campaign experts across the UK have also come together to pool their knowledge on how to campaign effectively. This means Campaign Central now hosts a detailed amount of ‘know-how’ information about different methods and pathways for getting your voice heard, written by people who really do know how. So if you’re wanting to find out how to influence the House of Lords or why it’s so important to mobilise support – and how exactly you should go about this – information available here goes some way in answering these questions.

 And finally, Campaign Central is now even more accessible on mobile platforms. So you can access this information on the go, in real time.

 What’s more, this is all completely free. So head over to Campaign Central now to connect, network and learn with others.

Charity shops boost local business, combat unemployment and even help tackle social isolation, according to a report by the think tank Demos.

The report says despite negative perceptions there is “no evidence” the shops cause “High Street decline”.

Councils should “do more to support charity shops”, the report adds.

The rising number of charity shops has led to calls to limit their numbers, but the report says the benefits they bring are “often unrecognised”.

In August, the Mail on Sunday said research showed there had been a 30% increase in the number of charity shops in Britain since 2008 – taking the total to more than 10,000.

There have been calls for a cap on charity shop numbers, and the removal of tax concessions and business rate relief they currently benefit from.

Ally Paget, a researcher at Demos and the author of the report, said charity shops themselves must do more to tackle “negative public perceptions” and highlight the “huge contributions they make to communities”.

“It is a real shame that the multitude of benefits offered by charity shops is so often unrecognised and under used, especially in this time of austerity,” she said.

“Local authorities can and should do more to support charity shops at a business level, and to draw on the capacity of charity shops to spur local regeneration.”

The report says charity shops make a “colossal” environmental contribution by reusing items, reducing the UK’s CO2 emissions by an estimated 3.7 million tonnes per year – “roughly equivalent to the entire carbon footprint of Iceland”.

Demos said its research showed charity shops keep shoppers on high streets.

“Our analysis and our public survey results suggest that the growth of charity shops on the High Street is a symptom, rather than a cause, of High Street decline,” the report adds.

It says data showed charity shops “do not increase rents for other shops” and “do not prevent small and medium-sized businesses from opening” on high streets.

The research also found charity shops help combat unemployment, with more than 80% of volunteers saying they were using their shifts to gain retail experience as a path to paid employment.

The report recommends that job centres should promote volunteering in charity shops to more jobseekers.

Charity Retail Association figures show the shops employ 17,300 paid staff and have 210,000 volunteers in total.

The report says charity shops help tackle health and social problems, particularly social isolation.

Many staff surveyed by Demos said their shops often acted as a form of community centre for older and vulnerable people to simply “drop in” for a chat.

Demos conducted a poll of 2,200 members of the public, as well as around 150 charity shop managers and 150 volunteers.

Some 91% of volunteers cited socialising and meeting new people as a benefit of volunteering, and 61% felt their volunteering led to improved physical and mental health.

Warren Alexander, of the Charity Retail Association, said charity shops not only raise “vital money” for good causes but also “bring huge value to their local communities”.

Author: Wikipedia

Airdrie Savings Bank is a small commercial bank operation in the Lanarkshire and Glasgow areas of Scotland. It runs 8 branches throughout this area, with its head office in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. Total assets of the bank at 31 October 2006 were £126 million with reported profits of £0.555 million.

Airdrie Savings Bank is the only remaining independent Savings Bank in the UK. It operates on mutual principles, has no shareholders and is instead governed by a Board of Trustees, appointed to represent the interests of depositors and to ensure that the Bank is managed properly.

In addition to Airdrie, there are branches in Baillieston, Bellshill, Coatbridge, Motherwell, Muirhead, Shotts and Falkirk.

Airdrie Savings Bank was formed as part of a movement to bring banking services to the wider community in 1835. A board of trustees from the local community act as board of governors. Similar banks were set up throughout the United Kingdom. Eventually most of these were brought under the umbrella of the Trustee Savings Bank, which was subsequently floated on the London Stock Exchange. Airdrie was the only Savings Bank not to join this scheme.

In August 2010 it was announced that a new branch would be opened after a cash injection of £10 million, from a group of Scottish entrepreneurs who support the bank’s mutual model. Sir Angus Grossart, Sir David Murray, Ann Gloag, Brian Souter,Sir Tom Farmer and Ewan Brown each provided £1 million. Soutar stated that “Airdrie Savings Bank represents what Scottish banks once stood for – security of funds, a focus on savings and outstanding personal service”. He went on to say that: “We believe the mutual principle is fundamental to the integrity of the bank. We are doing this because so many Scots are dismayed at what has happened within the banking sector”.