Our Neighbourhood Plan for Springhall and Whitlawburn (Annual Progress Report 2021–2022)

Introduction

Springhall and Whitlawburn has been involved in neighbourhood planning, led by local people, since 2017.  Neighbourhood planning is a solution focused, asset based approach to involving local people, increasing community involvement and creating lasting improvements through community led decision making.  The area has datazones in the top 5% most deprived in Scotland (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020).

Springhall and Whitlawburn has a population of 3,639. 52% of the population are female and 48% are male. The area has 2,162 households

• 854 lone adult households
• 220 households with dependent children
• 302 lone adults with dependent children
• 403 children aged under 16 in lone parent households

Community assets include:

• A community resource centre
• A bespoke youth base
• A community centre with integrated library
• 1 standalone nursery and 1 in a school setting
• 2 primary schools and 1 secondary school
• 3 MUGA’s (Multi use games arenas)
• 2 play areas and access to 2 public parks
• 2 community gardens
• A state of the art recreational space with integrated community growing facility
• 1 Food Co-op
• Plus a wide range of community groups and organisations that positively contribute to the wellbeing of individuals and the wider community

"The Participatory Budgeting is really great as local people get to have a real say in what the money should be spent on. Getting our funding helped us make sure we could do the things the young people were asking for" Springhall and Whitlawburn Youth Development Team Volunteer

History

• In November 2017 an awareness raising event was held involving residents contributing to community life and those working in the neighbourhood.
• The community engagement process was co-designed with local residents. The four big questions were devised.
• The survey opened in November 2017 and closed in February 2018, 271 households participated.
• March 2018 the Stakeholder Group is established. 10 priorities themes were identified through the survey and formed the neighbourhood plan. Thematic working groups are formed.
• March 2018 £20,000 is secured from the Lottery and matched by South Lanarkshire Council. This is used to support the delivery of early actions.
• May 2018 early actions are agreed. Ongoing discussion around priority setting has been a key feature of neighbourhood planning activity since.
• A participatory budgeting approach was used to allocate these funds. 378 residents cast their votes; 8 new projects were designed and delivered.
• January 2019 the Neighbourhood plan is launched.
• The Stakeholder Group and working groups continued to meet regularly, working together to bring the neighbourhood plan to life. After the first lockdown the group resumed with online meetings and have continued to do so to date.
• Let’s Talk About Our Place online sessions started in November 2020 and continue to date to engage residents in neighbourhood planning.
• On an annual basis residents have reranked local priorities and have determined key areas for action.
• A further participatory budgeting process was undertaken in November 2021.

Information

In 2021/22 £8,400 was available for place based participatory budgeting.

£4,200 for 2020/2021 when the Stakeholder group delayed spend due to the pandemic, and the allocation of £4,200 for 2021/2022.  

The Stakeholder Group devised and delivered the participatory budgeting process, the participatory budgeting application opened on 16 September 2021 and closed on 13 October 2021.

• 446 residents voted
• 9 proposals were received, 2 proposals didn’t meet criteria
• The public vote opened on 3 November 2021 and closed on 17 November 2021

The priority themes were also reranked during the participatory budgeting vote.  Members were encouraged to proactively promote participatory budgeting across their networks and the following options were available to cast a vote.

• Online via survey monkey
• By telephone – residents could call and log their vote
• Pop up stands were in key locations across the area for weeks
• “Mini” voting sessions were organised in group settings, these were time bound and timetabled

Participatory budgeting funded the following: 

• Springhall and Whitlawburn Youth Development Team £1,997.552
• Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre Christmas Event £1,745
• Age Active £875
• Cathkin Duke of Edinburgh £1,976.46
• Youth Family and Community Learning Reconnecting Communities £1,280
• Project 31 £525
• 1 project was unsuccessful

Priority Progress that has been achieved

1 More leisure and social opportunities

• £8,400 of Place based PB funds were invested in the delivery of a range of projects aimed at reconnecting individuals and the wider community, including a family focused event, group outings, youth focused programmes and outdoor play for younger children.

• The official opening of Springhall Community Centre and Library took place in June 2021.

2 Stronger and better communities

• 47 Let’s Talk About Our Place online sessions took place between April 2021-March 2022.

• 278 residents take part in a consultation to re ranking the priorities for 2022/2023. 446 residents take part in the Place Based Participatory Budgeting vote.

• CCG Construction Group who are building the new housing development commit a donation of £50,000 towards the ‘Whitlawburn Community Endowment Fund’.

3 Housing improvements

• 160 new homes have been delivered for South Lanarkshire Council, with tenants providing positive feedback since moving in.

• 60 houses are being developed, 10 in partnership with West Whitlawburn Housing Co-operative.

4 Greater community safety

• The Community Safety Working Group was reconvened in direct response to local concerns about anti-social behaviour. The group develop a social media campaign to encourage public reporting of incidents and public reassurance.

• A campus cop is recruited for Cathkin High school.

5 Physical environment improvements

• The Cage - SLC Grounds provided a storage container which will be developed into a conventional storage space and a meeting place. The Lottery agree to invest £57,000 to develop activities on site.

• Community led growing initiatives are developed at the Cage, the area is well used by the nursery and local groups.

• The stakeholders secure the support of the unpaid work team to carry out significant works at Whitlawburn Community Resource Centre.

6 Easier to get about/moving around

• Young person’s free bus travel scheme is actively promoted through local networks.

7 Better financial wellbeing

• Rutherglen and Cambuslang Citizens Advice Bureau, Money Matters and Home Energy Scotland provide inputs to raise awareness and increase access to services.

• Home Energy Scotland offer inputs around fuel and subsidies.

• Free Sanitary Products have been delivered to 63 households in Springhall and Whitlawburn.

8 Better education and training opportunities

• Stakeholders and partners are working together to develop actions

• A range of training opportunities are being considered; topics include First Aid Training, Activate, Scottish Mental Health First Aid and Heart Start.

• Intergenerational and skills sharing activity is under consideration.

• Active age group are developing a programme of activities, including digital training.

9 Health improvements

• 285 people are engaged in physical activity through exercise sessions, health walks and cycling.

• SLLC promote awareness and uptake of social prescribing.

• Health Improvement team offer inputs on healthy eating.     

10 Better employment and business opportunities

• CCG Construction Group has undertaken a range of community benefit initiatives in the area throughout the construction period. This has included creating new jobs, apprenticeships, and training opportunities for local people.

Whitlawburn Digital HUB and Job Club are actively promoted, and they receive financial inclusing funding to support their work.

Development Plans

The Stakeholder Group are developing their action plan for 2022/2023. To support this, community consultation was carried out to rerank the priority themes.

Emerging actions 2022/2023:

• Better financial wellbeing was reranked significantly from 7 to 3 and this will be a key priority in the year ahead. Actions will be taken to reduce the impact of COVID and rise in cost-of-living factors, fuel and food poverty.

• To promote financial wellbeing – neighbourhood based workshops/inputs will be organised focusing on financial wellbeing, money advice, budgeting and the promotion of available financial and related support.

• The Community Safety Working Group will address local concerns about anti-social behaviour fostering a “whole” community response to this issue.

• Promote and support the work of youth service providers and continue to identify alternative ways to engage young people in neighbourhood planning.

• To deliver an early intervention programme focusing on parents needs including handling teenage behaviour.

• Area walkabouts reintroduction to identify and address environmental issues.

• Let’s Talk Our Place sessions will continue.

• South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture will engage residents in community based health promoting activity.
• Deliver ACTIVATE – a community-based introduction to Community Development.
• The Cambuslang and Rutherglen Community Partnership will build interconnections between neighbourhood planning priorities and work of the Lanarkshire Community Planning Partnership Board.

• Deliver a participatory budgeting process.

“Taking part has provided South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture with a platform to engage with local residents and with partner agencies. Working within the priority themes has given us direction on what services are most important for the local community.  Being involved with the meetings allow us to share and receive feedback as well as promote services. We tailor and provide bespoke activities that the community would enjoy”. Lindsay Meighan

Case study

Successful neighbourhood planning relies on building relationships and effective partnerships, responding to local needs and collaborating to make the most of the resources everyone brings to the table.

In September 2021 the Community Safety Group reconvened in response to concerns about an increase in anti-social behaviour, bringing together residents, headteachers, police, youth service providers and staff from voluntary sector groups and organisations and elected members. The group were clear from the onset that they wanted to take a positive solution focus approach to community safety and anti-social behaviour - agreeing that a “Whole Community” response was needed.

The group are supporting initiatives aimed at encouraging public reassurance and reporting of incidents. Using social media Keeping Our Place A Safe Place provides a simple message, the best way to keep each other safe is to report incidents when they happen and this can be done in confidence with a 100% anonymity guaranteed.

A joint initiative between Cathkin High School and the police has resulted in the appointment of a campus cop and the delivery of an awareness raising programme.

Regenfx and other youth service providers have engaged and involved young people in opportunities. Whitlawburn Community Resources Centre have made their MUGA available for adhoc use, providing a great facility and alternative to playing in the street. The local housing officer has been talking to tenants, encouraging them to get involved and connected.

A member of the Community Safety Group spoke about their activities:

"We are working together to bring about positive improvements, this includes finding solutions to issues too.Keeping our families, homes, streets and community safe is paramount. We understand that any rise in anti-social behaviour has an impact, especially when it affects what we do and where we go. Community safety is everyone’s business, incidents have to be reported if solutions are to be found.”

The group are currently developing a programme of workshops in response to issues identified by local parents.

“Taking part in the stakeholder meetings and the Community Safety Working Group has been useful for me to find out what else is happening locally and who I can link in with”. Cheryl Burnett, Stakeholder Member and Community Partnerships Representative

Previous Progress Reports:

Springhall and Whitlawburn Progress Report 2019-2020

Springhall and Whitlawburn Progress Report 2020-2021

Want to be involved?

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

Jan Taylor - jan@healthynhappy.org.uk