Our Neighbourhood Plan for Cambuslang East (Annual Progress Report 2021–2022)

Introduction

• Ward 14 Cambuslang East – Halfway, Overton, Cairns, Westburn, Flemington, Lightburn, Circuit, Drumsagard, Newton, Hallside and Gilbertfield.
• 3 CPP priority areas within the ward – Circuit, Halfway and Westburn.
• Cambuslang East has a lot of very active Groups/Organisations who operate at a ward level.
• The ward has a population of 18,000+.

Our Place Our Plan – Cambuslang East sets out priorities and highlights the positive things going on for our community of Cambuslang East as a whole ward as well as Circuit, Westburn and Halfway as individual communities identified by residents between November 2019 and January 2020.

A local community action group produced this plan.  Most members are local residents however we are joined by representatives from key local agencies and organisations.  

You will see we have used the data gathered through the survey to set 10 priority themes for Cambuslang East as a whole as well as Circuit, Westburn and Halfway as individual communities.

History

• October 2019 – 1st Stakeholders meeting held.
• November to January 2020 – Consultation open, door to door conversations took place, school/group visits to encourage young people to take part.
• 1044 people shared their hopes and aspirations for their area through the consultation.
• February to October 2020 – The neighbourhood plan was produced, printed and delivered/shared to residents in the Cambuslang East community.
• February 2021 – Participatory Budgeting exercise £6300 allocated to 11 local groups/organisations.
• September 2021 – first annual progress report published and shared with the community.
• February 2022 - Participatory Budgeting exercise £6300 allocated to 10 local groups/organisations.

Participatory Budgeting

What is Participatory Budgeting (PB)?  PB is recognised internationally as a way for people to have a direct say in how public money is spent.

£6,300 available for Circuit, Halfway and Westburn (£2100 each area).

Local organisations and groups were invited to apply for funding for activities that focused on the priorities highlighted in the Neighbourhood Plan for the area.  The projects were shared with the community to then allow local people to vote and tell them what they would like £6300 to be spent on.  The community had the opportunity to vote online and in person as a link was shared via South Lanarkshire Council and Local Social media pages, and, the Stakeholders held outdoor voting stations within the community.  There was a great turn out; 408 people showed support and voted for their favourite projects/groups.

Halfway – Total no. of votes cast 204, £2,100 available

No.	No. of Votes	Project	Amount Awarded
1	122	Lightburn Early Learning Centre	£700
2	52	YFCL Young Mums Hub	£700
3=	51	YFCL Family/After School Hub	£350
3=	51	Cambuslang Out of School Care	£350
4	41	Particip8 Textile Hub	£0

Circuit – Total no. of votes cast 69, £2,100 available

No.	No. of Votes	Project	Amount Awarded
1	54	Circuit Youth Project Spring Outing	£700
2	50	Circuit Youth Project – Play Equipment	£700
3	14	YFCL Young Mums Hub	£700
4	10	YFCL Family/After School Hub	£0

Westburn – Total no. of votes cast 135, £2,100 available

No.	No. of Votes	Project	Amount Awarded
1	117	Westburn Youth Project - Outing	£700
2	117	Westburn Youth Project – Play equipment	£700
3	13	YFCL Family/After School Hub	£700
4	11	YFCL Young Mums Hub	£0

Priority Progress that has been achieved

1 Play park and sports park improvements

• Halfway Community Council and South Lanarkshire Council are working in partnership to improve Halfway Park.

2 More leisure and social opportunities

• Circuit and Westburn Youth Projects have delivered a number of new activities for young people in the area as well as trips away.

• Volunteers and Staff from Leap have created a community garden for local people to get involved in.

3 More variety of shops/businesses

• This is a priority which the action group will address in the future.

4 Stronger and better communities

• A community Fireworks display was organised for the community by Particp8 for the whole community.

• A new Westburn Tenants and Residents Group has been set up.

• Participatory Budgeting was delivered in the area with 408 people voting on where money should be spent.

5 Physical environment and housing improvements

• Halfway Community Council and South Lanarkshire Council are working together and have secured funding to upgrade Halfway Park.

• Volunteers and Staff from LEAP have created a community garden.

• A group from the Scottish Specials have set up an action group to address the issues with the roads and footpaths in their area.

• A new Westburn Tenants and Residents Group has been set up.

6 Easier to get about/moving around

• A group from the Scottish Specials have set up an action group to address the issues with the roads and footpaths in their area.

7 Better education, training and employment opportunities

• This is a priority which the action group will address in the future.

8 Greater community safety

• This is a priority which the action group will address in the future.

9 Health improvements

• Cervical Screening Inequalities Project.

• Health and Social Care Green Health Event 2022 being held at Overtoun Park.

• Greening Camglen Group.

10 Better financial wellbeing

• Free sanitary products can be collected from Halfway Library.

• 253 free sanitary products ordered between 2021-2022 with 271 people benefiting from this service.

Development plans

• PB Activities delivered – Activities that are funded through the PB Process will be delivered and monitored to evaluate impact.
• Strengthen Stakeholder Group – Continue to work with the stakeholders to drive the plan forward while recruiting new members.
• Continue to explore the priorities highlighted in the plan and work as a collective to work to improve
  the priorities.
• Work with local groups to access opportunities (funding, training, networking).
• Support communities to recover from the pandemic.

“The PB money was used by the youth club to go away for the day during the Easter break to M&D’s.  A busy and exciting day of fun was had by everyone.  The kids and parents all said they had a brilliant time and appreciated all the hard work of the youth club staff and volunteers.  It was so great to see everyone out having so much fun together again.” Natalie Kirk Circuit Youth Project.  

‘It was great over Easter to continue to provide activities to young people in our local area.  They get so much enjoyment and fulfilment from all the varied activities provided by COSC and so much fun was had by all during our day trips away also." Successful PB Project

Case study

In the most recent round of Participatory Budgeting funding Lightburn Early Learning Centre applied to the fund to support their community garden project. The centre applied for £700 to cover the costs of creating a community garden and outdoor learning environment within the grounds of the centre. The activity was very popular with local people and was successful with their application for funding. The centre started to get the project underway and began to start developing the area.

Wooden pallets were used to create outdoor equipment such as mud kitchens, benches etc. to be enjoyed by the children and their families at the nursery. The group used the PB funds to develop the garden further by purchasing gardening equipment, planting shrubs, herbs and vegetable patches.

The hope was that would create a sensory garden that families and children could learn and develop new skills in as well as promote social contact and improve overall wellbeing of families. As the last two years have highlighted the importance of utilising outdoor space for activity the centre hope to continue developing their outdoor garden and find news way to use the space they have.

The centre have since organised and carried out a sponsored walk alongside children, staff and parents to add the pot of money they currently have. As the summer months approach they plan to utilise their outdoor space further with a sports day involving the parents and children as well as a summer graduation ceremony in June.

Previous Progress Reports:

Cambuslang East Progress Report – 2020-2021

Cambuslang East in the news

Community groups share £6,300 in PB funding: www.southlanarkshireview.scot/news/article/1262/community_groups_share_6300_in_pb_funding

Want to be involved?

If you would like to get involved please contact 0303 123 1017 or email communities@southlanarkshire.gov.uk