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4th November 2020
Some years ago I met a man called Manfred Hellrigi who worked for the federal government of Vorarlberg, one of Austria’s nine federal states. He was in Scotland to describe his work at Voralberg’s Office of Future-Related Issues. Not only was this civic administration interested in anticipating challenges that were still largely unknown, but more significantly they were convinced that the process of seeking solutions must be inclusive and citizen-led. At the time, Manfred’s description of randomly selecting citizens to participate in Wisdom Circles seemed distinctly otherworldly. Less so now. Last weekend, the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland held their penultimate gathering, finalising their list of wide-ranging recommendations to be laid before Scottish Parliament. A similar process of citizen-led deliberation is underway on the climate emergency. This is a radically different way of doing democracy but surprisingly, one that has yet to attract widespread public attention. How we come through this Covid crisis depends on how much we comply with and support Scottish Government’s actions to suppress transmission. But as cracks inevitably appear, and if the Government truly believes in the potential of citizen-led deliberation to generate wisdom and insight, why not put it to the test? We might surprise ourselves.
In the most recent briefing…
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On the ground
Read moreIt’s been quite a week for prospective community landowners. Two very different stories with very different outcomes but both with equally valuable lessons to be learned and shared. First, the good news. Or at least partial good news. A 10,500 acre grouse moor near Langholm, has long been the subject of community interest – the asking price set by Duke of Buccleuch, an eye watering £6.4m. An incredible £3.8m was raised and a deal was done – but for roughly half the acreage. Success – albeit expensive. But elsewhere it was a different story. See next article down.
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On the ground
Read moreLike many parts of the Highlands, the Morvern peninsula is faced with challenges of a declining and ageing population and a shortage of affordable housing and jobs. The community has been working hard to bring the 2,600 hectare Killundine Estate into community ownership. With the potential to create jobs, new housing, woodland crofts and a sustainable income stream, plus a supportive landowner, the biggest hurdle seemed to be the asking price – £2.7m. Even with a £1m grant from Scottish Land Fund, £1.7m is a lot to raise. Somehow they achieved it but even then, it wasn’t to be.
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On the ground
Read more25 years ago, it was just an old playing field in North Glasgow that had fallen into disrepair. Over the years the community had gradually taken ‘ownership’ of the site, worked hard to bring the land back into productive use and for years it has been a much loved hub for community activity and a Children’s Wood. But the community never actually owned North Kelvin Meadow and at various points, the Council has tried to take back control and proceed with a housing development. Finally, after years of acrimony, and even court appearances, the Council and community are reconciled.
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On the ground
Read moreI still remember the day when someone suggested the project I was working for should connect to something called an ‘intranet’ which would allow computers within a limited network to ‘talk to each other’. I also remember scoffing at the idea of an ‘email’ that we were told to use. I recognise a similar reluctance to grasp the true impact that developments in Artificial Intelligence will have in our future lives. Older and wiser and more conscious of my luddite tendencies, I’m determined not to dismiss quite so readily this piece on the application of AI to community settings.
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Policy talk
Read moreTrust is that most fickle of commodities. Hard to win, easy to lose, and once lost even harder or impossible to regain. Which is why the slightest misstep by those in authority during this Covid crisis has had such ramifications for the reported levels of public trust in the respective administrations. When political leaders tell the population that more restrictions are necessary, trust that ‘we are all in this together’ is stretched even further. The John Smith Centre, a research organisation that promotes trust in public services, has published three new reports on levels of trust amongst UK adults.
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Policy talk
Read morePower companies are generally pretty quick to get lines back up and running when the winter storms hit. Not so for the Western Isles which was thrown into darkness last month when an (as yet) unidentified vessel sliced through the 33,000 volt cable that stretches between Skye and Harris. Anything between 6-12 months to fix, the implications for communities are potentially catastrophic – between £2.8 and £4.5m of lost revenue for those communities with wind farms and an estimated 240 tonnes of carbon emitted every day from the stand-by generator. Time for a permanent solution.
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Policy talk
Read moreAlmost 250 years ago, James Watt designed his steam engine. That single invention is sometimes referenced as the first small step in the journey towards the current climate emergency. And this time next year, up river from his birthplace in Greenock, the world’s leaders gather in Glasgow with the intention of agreeing how to avert the climate crisis unfolding even further. COP26 is the somewhat bizarre name given to this event and to the casual observer it’s not only the title that’s hard to understand. Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, of which SCA is a member, has produced this useful FAQ.
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Policy talk
Read moreReflecting on recent editions of this newsletter, I’ve noticed that housing features a great deal. Not a lot of thought goes into deciding content here – what appears is a response to what I read or who I meet through the week. And this week a former councillor at Highland Council contacted me to rail against the apparent impotence of local authorities to stop wealthy incomers completely distorting the local housing market. He called for radical government intervention and stronger local government – a call amplified by this open letter from young folk, mainly from the Western Isles. A heartfelt plea.
Featured anchor organisation:
Greener Kirkcaldy
Greener Kirkcaldy is a community-led charity and development trust working in Kirkcaldy and throughout Fife. It would like to see a future where everyone is able to heat their home affordably, eat well, and tread more lightly on our planet. The charity works towards that by delivering projects to meet the needs of local people: tackling fuel and food poverty, improving health and wellbeing, and bringing the community together. The organisation takes a community development approach, supporting volunteers and the wider community to make Kirkcaldy a greener and fairer place to live. Greener Kirkcaldy formed in 2009 when a group…
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