A to Z
THe Local Community Plan is organised around the five themes below. If you would like to view some examples of actions in each theme please click on the relevant links below. To comment of any of the actions, please add your comments to the form at the bottom of the page.
Action (A5)
Review provision of health centres and clinics to ensure that they meet the needs of the current and projected population
Target Dates
2008-2018
Lead Partner
NHS Grampian
Progress
Accommodation provision is under continuous review to ensure clinical services can be provided nearer patients' homes. For example, Kincardine Community Hospital now has 4 new consulting rooms to provide further out-patient services. A new Laurencekirk Health Centre, with space for GPs, dental services, social work, mental health and community nursing, was opened in April 2009.
Action (A26)
Resources required to increase people's sense of safety and wellbeing in Laurencekirk, Edzell Woods, Luthermuir, Fettercairn, Marykirk and Auchenblae.
2009
Grampian Police
On 7 December 2008 a new policing profile was put in place for Kincardine and Mearns. The profile delivers a more community focused service with specific officers given ownership of the various communities within Kincardine and Mearns. Posters with photographs of the officer have been posted on relative web sites and distributed throughout the community.
Action (B9)
Explore opportunities for continuing the Aberdeenshire Rural Partnership Fund beyond March 2008. Support Rural Partnerships in gaining an asset to produce income that can fund future Partnership work. Explore opportunities and potential partner actions that will support local social enterprises.
Aberdeenshire Council
Kincardine and Mearns Area Partnership has received £22,000 from Aberdeenshire Council and been able to employ a part-time development worker to help them carry out their work in supporting local community groups and enterprises. Mearns Area Partnership has received £10,250 to continue their community economic development activities.
Action (B10)
Establish an EU Leader Programme for Rural Aberdeenshire and support for the work of the Rural Aberdeenshire LAG Partnership.
LEADER programme was launched in June 2008. In its first year it gave total funding of £1.46million to 46 rural projects across Aberdeenshire. In 2009 the LEADER has been widely promoted in Kincardine and Mearns and seminars on the programme were held in Johnshaven and Auchenblae. St. Terman's Church in Muchalls, Johnshaven Fish Festival and the Mearn's Connection Event have all received LEADER funding.
Lifelong Learning
Action (C11)
Improve communication of what’s going on in communities through biannual inserts in local newsletters and web updates on relevant issues.
Ongoing
Aberdeenshire Council has set up Aberdeenshire Live with digital screens in various locations to inform of events and initiatives.
Action (C14)
Expand and improve opportunities for recreation through participation in the arts, heritage, sport and libraries A: Provide professional advice and support to local Artists and Artist Networks B: Encourage and support community involvement in the development of Public Art works such as those funded from Per Cent for Art C: Where appropriate, involve artists working in the community to resolve community needs and support community capacity building in partnership with Community Learning and Development D: Support community village halls to stage cultural and heritage based events by providing advice and promoting networking between village hall committees E: Support the Heritage Fair Programme in schools across the area incorporating wider community involvement F: Increase and widen access and participation in the arts / wider cultural activity through partnership with North East Arts Touring and other agencies G: Provide support and professional advice to the Kincardine & Deeside Arts Forum (KDAF) to support their core objectives
A: Ongoing one-to-one Artist support and area support to the NEOS (North East Open Studio Event) B: Sally Thomson was appointed to the new post of Public Arts Officer in November 2008. The Arts Development Officer South will be working with Sally and the Public Arts Group to create a structure for commissioning Public Art in the Shire. Examples include a Fireball Sculpture in Stonehaven, Fordoun Underpass and the renovation of the Cutty Sark figure head in Inverbervie. C: Local artists have been supported in the following community based arts projects: North Kincardine CDG Art Exhibition, Portlethen Porty Cabin Signage project, Howe Festival, Gallery Bus visit to Marykirk. Further partnership projects with Community Learning & Development include Young People & Digital Art linked to Comet, Stonehaven Acoustic Youth Stage and Fordoun Underpass Mural. D: A survey of cultural provision in halls in the Mearns has been undertaken and a partnership with Marr Area Partnership is being explored to link with the development of the Public Entertainment Licence Toolkit. E: Heritage Fair proposed for Laurencekirk to link with the opening of the railway station plus school heritage signage project linked to the opening of the station. F: Funding secured for 3 years. NEAT is providing promoter support to over 30 local promoters in Aberdeenshire area including a guarantee against loss for their small scale touring theatre shows. G: KDAF provides ongoing grant support for local artists and community groups undertaking professional arts projects.
Sustainable Environment
Action (D12)
Support and Encourage anti-litter schemes
April 2009
Local Community Planning Group
A workshop on best-practice litter schemes was attended by Stonehaven Horizon Project, ALI (local team) and key people involved in Portlethen Anti-litter Scheme such as the Community Police Officer and Rector of Portlethen Academy to establish a method to expand on these initiatives across K & M where there is public interest evidenced through recent consultations. Three Stonehaven Primary Schools have joined the Adopt-A-Street scheme. Each school will adopt a small area of the town in which to collect litter. It is hoped that the children's involvement in this scheme will help to develop responsible behaviour in young people which will translate ultimately into less litter on the streets.
Action (D5)
Promote energy efficiency and renewable energy options for community facilities e.g. village halls.
2008
31/03/09 - 10 Village Halls in K&M have signed up to the Village Halls Project and funding was obtained to conduct energy audits. Project members will then be consulted on the results and appropriate renewable options. 31/05/09 - 8 of the audits have been completed so far. It is hoped the remainder will be completed by 31 August 2009.
Developing our Partnership
Action (E1)
Encourage and support community consultation exercises to collect evidence on what is wanted and needed in the community. Initiate one community consultation event in the Portlethen area. Support and encourage Planning for Real Exercises as a method of community engagement.
Kincardine and Mearns Area Partnership
Planning for Real training was given to community groups in October 2008. Kincardine and Mearns Area Partnership (KMAP) provided funding for the “Dynamic Drop In” event in Portlethen in June 2009. This event was a Kincardine and Mearns wide community consultation on the local Community Plan. Community Learning and Development ran a youth consultation in the Mearns area and a presentation was given by the Youth Forum on the results in February 2009. A very successful Planning for Real exercise took place in Newtonhill in May 2009. This exercise was supported and funded by Kincardine and Mearns Area Partnership (KMAP). Further consultation is taking place at Stonehaven Harbour Day, with a Mearns and Coastal Older Peoples Network, and online one the ouraberdeenshire.org website. Community Planning Officers are collating the data collected from these exercises in order to make recommendations for input into the review of the Local Community Plan.
Action (E12)
Develop a model for ensuring issues identified through community engagement e.g. Planning for Real are addressed through partnership planning.
December 2008
A model has been developed and was agreed by the Local Community Planning Group in December 2008.
Add your comments using the form below.
If you would like to be informed of the consultation results, please leave your details below. Otherwise, just click on "submit" to leave your comments.
