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10th April 2024
Once upon a time, in what now seems like a faraway land, some farsighted folk at the Big Lottery Fund (as it was called back then) realised that for communities to thrive, they needed to have their own networks of mutual support. And to make that happen, a programme was launched offering five years funding to cover their core costs. Multi-year funding on that scale might sound like the stuff of fairy tales but it didn’t seem like that back then. And while much has changed since those halcyon days of plenty – a decade and more of austerity has wrought havoc – it’s nonetheless increasingly hard to fathom why, even with so much less to work with, the Scottish Government’s internal systems for allocating these scarce resources are so consistently poor. There’s no longer any expectation within the sector of either timely or (heaven forbid) multi-year offers of funding, and as a result many community organisations are forced to endure the annual ritual of issuing redundancy notices to their staff. For all the warm words of resetting the relationship between the community sector and the state (‘If not now, when?’), most would probably just settle for being shown a little more consideration and respect.
In the most recent briefing…
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On the ground
Read moreBack in 2007, the jury was still very much out as to whether communities should be encouraged to take on responsibility for assets that were publicly owned. The landmark Quirk Review came down firmly in favour, citing several reasons why it was in the public interest for the transfer of public assets to be encouraged widely and at scale. One of the most compelling reasons cited back then was that when communities own land or buildings their financial resilience is markedly improved. Just to serve as a reminder, lest anyone needs one, a comprehensive piece of research restates the argument.
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On the ground
Read moreThe scale and pace at which the transition to renewable energy is happening is such that it’s hard to keep tabs on. Whether it’s onshore with new or expanded developments or offshore with its vast projected generation of 24GW (Scotland consumes 5GW) one thing is certain – Scotland is going to be a big net exporter of energy. And within this very dynamic market, some significant opportunities are opening up for communities. A coalition of community interests are intent on making sure that these are exploited to the full. Starting with seven calls for action to the Scottish Government.
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On the ground
Read moreOne of the interesting aspects of the relatively new phenomenon known as ‘overtourism’ is that those who are concerned about it don’t consider themselves to be ‘anti-tourist’ – it’s just a plea for tourism to be more proportionate. particularly for those who have to live with it, the constant wave after wave of tourists can be overwhelming and disempowering – particularly when it impacts so directly on the supply and affordability of accommodation. Which is why a peaceful people-powered protest to the problem of overtourism in Malaga, Spain might be of interest to those who are most affected.
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Policy talk
Read moreWhenever the complexities of working within government are discussed, the solutions invariably include some reference to the need for more joined up working. The argument for joined-up government has been well established for many years but what is much less clear, in fact not clear at all, is how to make that happen in practice. And in that respect, there has been much less discussion about the specific roles that individuals can play and the personal qualities that they require to be effective. Interesting piece by Thea Snow at Nesta.
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Policy talk
Read moreAnyone with an interest in advancing the cause of land reform may well be somewhat underwhelmed by the latest Bill. Indeed some have argued that rather than engage with the next stage ( an invitation to submit evidence), the response should be to call for the Bill to be scrapped and redrafted. Assuming that that is unlikely to happen, it’s nonetheless important that as many voices as possible are heard at this early stage in the process of it becoming legislation. Scottish Community Alliance has produced a briefing on the Bill which could help to inform some of these responses.
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Policy talk
Read moreIt may just be my imagination but some of the buzz around the great new planning concept – the fifteen minute neighbourhood – seems to have dissipated. The wildly over the top scenes witnessed in Oxford and the fake news stories of council officials conspiring to lockdown whole communities and remove cars from the streets might have had something to do with it. But the big lesson from Paris is that consistently strong political leadership combined with planners who really understand the transformative potential of the concept can deliver a much more enjoyable life for all.
Featured anchor organisation:
Glenboig Development Trust
Glenboig village is located 3 miles to the north of Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire. Its quiet rural setting belies a significant industrial heritage which included world renowned fireclay brickworks, coal mining and significant rail links.
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