In July 1997 the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities agreed to set up a Joint Working Group of officials; the Community Planning Working Group. The Group produced a report in July 1998 which proposed that key agencies in promoting the wellbeing of the communities they serve should come together at Council area level, in a process initiated by the Local Authority, to develop a vision of the key issues facing the area and how they are collectively going to address them. In so doing they should develop a Community Plan, which should set out the partnership’s shared vision for meeting the needs of the area.
The report stressed the importance of engaging with and involving communities themselves in this process. In the Western Isles, prior to the report of the Community Planning Working Group the Council and other key partners had established a range of partnership at both strategic and operational level. The Community Planning process is seen as an extension and widening of this process of partnership.
In establishing a network of partnerships there is a need to guard against duplication of effort, maximise the beneficial use of resources and ensure that the various partnerships complement each other.
The aims of Community Planning as defined in the Scottish Office/COSLA report are as follows –
(1) Improve the service provided by Councils and Public Agencies through closer more co-ordinated working.
(2) Introduce a process through which Councils and their public sector partners, in consultation with the voluntary and private sector and the community can agree both a strategic vision for the area and the action each of the partners will take in pursuit of that vision.
(3) Enable Councils and their public sector partners collectively to identify the needs and views of individuals and communities and to work out how best to address them. Public sector agencies cannot act in isolation to improve the fortunes of an area. Creating more and better jobs, improving housing, education, health and our environment are inextricably linked. Decisions made by one agency will inevitably have an impact on the others to.
Community Planning is a two-way process concerned with communication and consultation. It involves key public sector agencies, voluntary organisations, commerce and industry but principally the local community. During the course of the Community Planning exercise local communities organisations and agencies will be involved in helping to determine the key priorities for the area. The Community Plan, therefore, will detail not only actions necessary to achieve these priorities but also key performance indicators and success criteria by which the achievements can be measured. These will require to be reviewed on an ongoing basis.
The key aims of the Community Plan for the Western Isles are as follows –
(1) to involve citizens and communities in planning services for the area;
(2) promote a common strategic vision to inform the future planning of all agencies;
(3) promote collaborative planning procurement/commissioning and delivery of services within the Western Isles; and
(4) to provide leadership for the future development of the Western Isles.
Above all, however, the key aim must be the creation of a prosperous and healthy community based on the principle of sustainable development through respect for the cultural and environmental traditions of the Islands.
There is a well established practice of working with other Authorities and the private sector. The principle examples of this are as follows –
(1) The Healthy Islands Partnership – a multi agency partnership established in 1993 and drawing its membership from the statutory voluntary and private/business sectors.
(2) The Alcohol, Drug and Smoking Action Team with membership from the Health Board, Local Authority, Police, and Procurator Fiscal service the media the voluntary sector and the Licensing Board.
(3) The Community Care Planning Group with representatives from the Health Service, Scottish Homes and Local Authority.
(4) The Mental Health Partnership with membership from the statutory agencies, voluntary sector providers, users and cares.
(5) The partnership for Learning Disabilities.
(6) Initiative at the Edge with representatives from Western Isles Enterprise, the Health Board, Local Authority, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Homes and Crofting interests.
(7) The New Community Schools Initiative comprising the Local Authority and Health Boards.
(8) The Children’s Services Plan which is the responsibility of the Local Authority and requires collaboration from the statutory agencies as well as extensive voluntary and private sector input.
(9) The Childcare Partnership involving statutory and voluntary private agencies.
(10) The Joint Liaison Committee with membership from the Local Authority and the Health Service.
(11) The Western Isles Objective One Group comprising representatives from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Western Isles Enterprise, Lews Castle College and other public agencies.
The Western Isles Islands area stretches north to south for some 130 miles and is situated approximately 30 miles to the west of the Scottish Mainland. The major inhabited Islands which makes up the Western Isles are Lewis and Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Barra. In addition, there are the inhabited offshore Islands of Scalpay, Berneray, Eriskay and Vatersay.
The total population of the Islands’ area is estimated to be 28,240, a 3.9% decline over the period 1991 to 1997. The geographical spread of the population is uneven which some 21,000 of its number located in the most northerly of the Islands, Lewis, whilst none of the other Islands has a population of more than 2,000. The only truly urban settlement in the Islands and the major centre of population is the town of Stornoway, which, with its immediate environs, has a population of approximately 10,000. Given that the total land area of the Island chain is some 289,000 hectares, it is clear that, by any definition, the Western Isles is a sparsely populated area.
Outwith Stornoway the largest settlements are located in Tarbert in Harris, Lochmaddy in North Uist, Balivanich in Benbecula, Lochboisdale in South Uist and Castlebay in Barra. With the exception of Balivanich, these settlements are the ports of entry for the mainland/island ferry services. Outwith these areas the rural settlement pattern is based on the traditional crofting communities. Development has not traditionally taken place in nucleated settlements but is linear spreading along the roads, that being the pattern of crofting communities.
The out-migration of individuals in the key economically active 16 – 44 age group, coupled with natural and other changes, continues to largely negate the impact of the in-migration to the area. 1991 Census figures illustrate a significant population decline in many of the statistical areas with remote districts of Uig in Lewis and Lochboisdale in South Uist each suffering 16% population loss over the previous decade. The age structure of the Western Isles population also remains unbalanced, with 42.2% aged over 45 years in 1995, compared to 44.4% for the overall Highlands and Islands area.
In keeping with the demographic trend illustrated above the absolute number of employees and employment has fallen from 9,762 in 1991 to 8,844 in 1996. Whilst the majority of sectors have experienced the decline in employees during that period (10%) the health and social services sector expanded by an estimated 409 FTE, accounting for 23.5% of all employment in 1996. Other service sector employment totals approximately 24%, distribution, hotels and catering 22%, manufacturing and construction approximately 9% each, with the balance 12.5% spread over transport and communications, agriculture, fisheries and utilities. An overall growth in service based low income employment has been apparent as has been an increasing trend towards part-time employment. Employment in the KIT sector, whilst still not significant, continues to develop. The fisheries/aquaculture sector expanded in colloration with targeted capital investment. New business starts registered in the Western Isles during 1997 accounted for 8.6% of the Highlands and Islands total with a 140 new businesses net of closures.
Whilst the spirit of enterprise clearly exists, and innovation and diversification is nurtured the economy is still characterised by a narrow economic base and a continuing heavy reliance on the primary industries, especially in rural crofting communities where seasonal employment and occupational pluralism are common.
Throughout the period 1991 to 1998 the Western Isles unemployment rate has been consistently higher than both the HIE area Scottish averages. The largest gap was in 1992 (6%), the smallest in April 1997 (0.5%) and the average over the period was 3.5%. Recently revised TTWA figures show unemployment rates for Lewis and Harris and Uist and Barra at 9.3% and 9.8% respectively against a Highlands and Islands average of 5.1%.
For the same period individuals classed under the New Deal as long term unemployed comprised 43% of the total unemployed in the Western Isles, with the LTU rate in Uist and Barra being particularly noticeable at 5.3% compared to 3.7% in Lewis and Harris and 2.9% average for the Highlands and Islands area. High rates of further education uptake and out-migration of young people with academic or commercial potential, maintain youth unemployment in the area lower than the Highlands and Islands average.
Obviously this represents a real and continuing problem for the Western Isles and is clearly detrimental to the area’s future development potential. 1997 gross weekly earnings and prices indices show that incomes in the Western Isles are 12% below the Scottish average, whilst the cost of food, other goods, fuel and transport can be up to 20% higher than mainland Scotland. These economic factors associated with geographical peripherality highlight to a large degree the need for and potential impact of both public and private investment which targets the creation of high quality job opportunities to reduce this disparity. In terms of economic competitiveness and growth the high cost of raw materials, fuel and transport, together with distance from final markets, result in a situation where local businesses in the majority of sectors must increasingly research and target niche markets where productivity individuality, people skills and quality supersedes the commercial constraints imposed by locality.
During the period 1994 to 1997 the Western Isles received approximately £13.8M. of European Union Objective One funding for transportation infrastructure developments. The Sound of Harris ferry service has facilitated increased flow of inter-island traffic and trade and the Scalpay Bridge and Berneray Causeway will assist in reducing the social exclusion of these Island communities. However, the Western Isles as a whole continues to face a multiplicity of issues relating to the cost, frequency, quality and type of air and ferry services which are core factors in the social and economic development process.
Substantial investment in the telecommunications infrastructure in the Islands has been key to the ongoing development of the University of the Highlands and Islands and Gaelic Broadcasting facilities in Stornoway, distance learning centres in a number of remote communities and the FE Centre in Uist. Continuing efforts are being made to capitalise on the communications infrastructure now available through facilitating further remote training, trading and IT related opportunities for often excluded labour market groups such as women returners and the disabled.
Despite the fragile nature of the area economy, the cultural and social infrastructure remains buoyant, with latest available figures showing 216 organisations operating in the voluntary or third sector, employing 712 individuals and using the services of 1,333 volunteers. Overall income to this sector was an estimated £16M. in 1996. Increasingly, through encouragement from the Local Authority, Western Isles Enterprise, LEADER II and PESCA and a Scottish Office Initiative such as Iomairt aig an Oir opportunities have been created for rural communities to determine and implement appropriate mechanisms for their own empowerment and development.
Community Trusts (Urras nan Garenin) and rural partnerships Harris Development Limited, Iomairt Nis and Uist 2000 have assisted communities to transform their geographical location, cultural identity and natural heritage assets into means of creating sustainable social and economic development. Lottery good cause funding continues to play a vital role in the realisation of capital intensive community led developments such as Kildonan Museum in Uist and the Uig Community Centre in Lewis.
Mortality in the Western Isles reflects the national Scottish picture, the principal causes being coronary heart disease, cancer and stroke. These three are also the major causes of hospitalisation in the Western Isles.
To summarise, it would be perhaps helpful to list the pluses and the minuses in the Western Isles economy as it exists at the moment.
These are as follows –
(1) Projected decline in population, declining school rolls and out-migration of young adults.
(2) Low gross domestic product and a low economic output per worker.
(3) A low economic activity rate.
(4) An employment structure reliant upon jobs in a limited number of sectors.
(5) An unemployment rate consistently above the national average.
(6) A high proportion of unemployed persons are over 25 and have been out of work for more than two years.
(7) A high cost of living and in particular the costs of transportation, building materials and development costs.
(8) Reducing Scottish Office Capital Consents.
(9) A reliance by the private sector on public sector contracts.
(10) Particularly remote fragile areas.
There are, however, a number of opportunities that offer prospects for renewal. These are –
(1) A more balanced future age structure is predicted despite a reduction in population.
(2) The projected increase in household numbers.
(3) High academic achievement in school and further education particularly in vocational qualifications.
(4) A healthy business formation and survival rate and a relatively low business closure rate.
(5) Reducing inter-island travel times.
(6) Increased aquaculture employment and production.
(7) Conditions created to increase community involvement in local development.
(8) The prospect of oil and gas in the Atlantic.
(9) The quality of the environment and unique culture.
(10) A good tradition of unpaid voluntary work.
The Partnership’s vision for the future of the Western Isles is of a prosperous, inclusive and healthy community with a diversified sustainable economy and respecting the environmental and cultural heritage of the islands. To achieve this vision, we have identified a number of strategic themes and shared priorities for the islands.
The Partners recognise that the developments outlined in the Community Plan cannot be achieved in iscolation from or without input from the community itself. Key to the empowerment of the community are the concepts of governance and education. The role that govenance and education play is shown in the diagram below:
Diagram Not Yet Available
The Partners believe that these aspects of human and community development should be supported and developed.
The integraged and balanced development of the fragile economy of the Western Isles requires a consistent and careful approach. Our goal must be the reduction and eventual elimination of the differential between the economic activity rates of the Highlands and Islands area and the Western Isles area and to stem the outflow of young people. The geography, environment, history and culture of the area provide opportunities to capitalise on developments in aquaculture and tourism. In addition advances in communications technology means people are able to work in locations which are physically remote from their employers or customers. The existing businesses should be encouraged to be innovative in relation to new ways of working as well as the development of new products whilst every effort must be made to attract increased levels of inward investment.
Community Safety covers a wide range of issues of concern to people of the Western Isles. These include crime or the fear of crime, safety in the home, road safety, safety at work, safe play and safe goods and services.
Community Safety affects the quality of life throughout the Western Isles but may also have a significant impact on the decisions of businesses which are considering locating here. The Western Isles must continue to deserve to be marketed as a safe place to be, thus helping to attract new businesses to the area.
A Community Safety approach emphasises the importance of tackling the underlying causes of problems, including unemployment, poverty, boredom, peer pressure, drug and alcohol abuse. It allows safety considerations to become part of the design, development and delivery of the policy and services within each agency. Resources can also be targeted and activities co-ordinated to tackle the common problems and prevent duplication. Better value for money can also be delivered by identifying costs, risks and preventative measures to generate savings and channel these into other community safety activities.
· the development and implementation of a Community Safety Strategy
Health, or rather good health is not the problem of the Health Service in isolation. The service has the lead role when it comes to giving care to people who are taken ill, need surgery to improve conditions or need continuing health care for disease condition. However, a great range of actions concerned with improving health relate to working with others – in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. The affect on health of housing conditions, employment and environmental factors are well recognised and need co-ordinated action by a number of Agencies working in conjunction with each other and the community to affect change. This form of Partnership working has been developed significantly over the past five years as witnessed by the alliances associated with the Healthy Islands Partnership and the Alcohol, Drugs and Smoking Action Team. The Ottawa Charter Framework provides for a variety of levels of working from personal responsibility to supportive environments and healthy public policy. It supports the development of health promotion and healthy public policies, such that the healthy choice becomes the easy choice for policy makers and the wider population.
· Maintaining a strong multi-agency alliance bringing together the stakeholders in health across the communities and organisations in the Western Isles;
· Devising and implementing programmes that improve the health status of the socially excluded and prioritising:
· communities in need
· mothers, children and young people
· the unemployed
· the elderly
· Addressing poverty – as poverty is a major cause of social exclusion and poor health
· Continuing programmes that focus on:
· drugs, alcohol and smoking
· CHD and stroke reduction
· promotion of physical activity/exercise/sport and a healthier diet
· improved dental health
· Implementing programmes that make the places where individuals study, work, relax and live more ‘health promoting’ e.g. schools/colleges, workplaces and neighbourhoods/schemes/villages
· Promoting accessible and quality services and activities for children, young people and the elderly.
· Providing warm, dry, energy efficient housing to “barrier free” standards and addressing the BTS (below tolerable standard) housing stock.
This area has as one of its major thrust the protection and development of the environment. Sustainable development which focusses on the long term needs of the area provides the framework for protecting and capitalising on the area’s unique cultural and environmental heritage. This heritage provides the core of the area’s high quality of life which, as well as being inherently attractive, is also of potential economic value. Local people should be encouraged to set the environmental agenda and enabled to influence decisions about land use and access in order to develop awareness of the value and potential of the natural and cultural environment. The unique cultural traditions of the Western Isles have attracted a great deal of positive comment and can provide enormous economic advantages. What we must now do is safeguard and build upon the progress which has been made to secure the place of the cultural and environmental heritage as a vital part of the islands’ future.
· Supporting and enabling community participation in decision making and investing in community facilities;
· Developing community expertise in relation to conservation and environmental issues;
· Investing in environmental resources such as the countryside and marine resources;
· Supporting communities who wish to gain control over and access to land assets by promoting land reform;
· Devising and implementing a Local Agenda 21 strategy;
· Promoting and developing the islands’ unique culture as a social asset and as a basis for unity of approach and purpose.
· Supporting Volunteering activity and Voluntary organisations;
· Developing and delivering a Community Learning Strategy based on a rolling programme of community based and community driven needs assessment;
· Promoting renewable energy sources.
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Alex A MacDonald Convener Comhairle nan Eilean Siar |
Alexander Matheson OBE Chairman Western Isles Health Board |
Duncan Macinnes Chairman Western Isles Enterprise |