Latest news with #CommunityPlanningPartnership
Glasgow Times
02-08-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
New community well-being hub opens in Rouken Glen Park
The well-being hub, based in Rouken Glen Park, is designed to support health, connection and sustainability through activities led by local groups. Operated by The Community Hub—an initiative of Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire—the site will be open for the next four months under a pilot scheme to test its long-term potential. Chat and Plant members hard at work (Image: Supplied) Ruth Gallagher, chief officer at Voluntary Action East Renfrewshire, said: "Our Community Hub initiative will house East [[Renfrew]]shire Climate Action Hub, Velo World and many other third/community sector organisations interested in joining our collaboration. "We will be testing and trying a variety of activities, including planting and growing community vegetables, health and wellbeing activities such as yoga as well as supporting the development of small local enterprises. "Pop down and have a chat with the team; join in the fun and share your ideas." Located behind Rouken Glen Garden Centre on the former Young Enterprise Scotland site, the hub features greenhouses, growing areas, a commercial kitchen, office pods and an administrative building. It is already home to groups including East Renfrewshire Climate Action Hub and Chat & Plant, with space available for additional organisations during the pilot phase. The Community Hub will use the next four months to assess potential models for future revenue generation and sustainability. Chat and Plant members hard at work (Image: Supplied) A review is planned for December, and if a strong business case is developed, the team will work with East Renfrewshire Council and other partners to establish a long-term vision for the site. Micheal McKernan, economic development and inclusive growth manager at East Renfrewshire Council, said: "East Renfrewshire Council is delighted to be hosting The Community Hub. "The work that they do is an integral part of our Community Planning Partnership's vision to reduce inequality across groups and communities in East Renfrewshire. "The East Renfrewshire A Place to Grow sets out our shared hopes and aspirations between now and 2040 so that East Renfrewshire is a place where everyone can flourish, thrive and grow. The commercial-grade kitchen at the facility (Image: Supplied) "We would encourage local groups to get in touch with The Community Hub to help them shape the future of their site at Rouken Glen." Community groups are already seeing the benefits. Sylvia McCandlish, a member of Chat & Plant, said: "The community well-being hub offers us a chance to experiment with food plants we have never dared to think about before and it gives us the confidence to create and be inventive. "The hub also has the resources to allow us to expand the group. The space features small office pods for use (Image: Supplied) "We use the larger greenhouse and one of the polytunnels but there are opportunities for others to come and set up shop. "There are other polytunnels, there are the external areas as well, so it offers lots of chances for people to make this community space their home." The hub is open to the public Monday to Friday from 10am to 2.30pm for those interested in visiting, sharing ideas or learning more about the project. Organisations wishing to book space or get involved are encouraged to contact Ruth Gallagher at
Daily Record
29-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
North Ayrshire Council to hold funding drop-in sessions
Information on seeking funding opportunities has been released. Community groups are being invited to take part in sessions aimed at exploring how they could secure funding support from North Ayrshire Council. A wide range of funding is available to enable organisations to develop or expand their facilities. North Ayrshire Council's Connected Communities team are inviting individuals and community organisations to an upcoming series of information drop-in sessions ahead of the next cycle of the council's Participatory Budgeting Fund (PB). The sessions have been set up across our six localities support communities to: Find out about participatory budgeting Learn about how it works here in North Ayrshire Hear from other groups and organisations who have benefited locally Find out about the eligibility criteria Discuss projects and initiatives that could benefit but haven't applied before This is also an opportunity to meet with other groups who are already working alongside Locality teams - part of the North Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership - to identify priorities and empower communities, increase capacity and improve facilities to achieve local community ambitions. More than 190 community groups and projects have been successful in receiving their share of North Ayrshire's £171,377 PB funding since last November. With applications opening in August, the next round of Participatory Budgeting (PB) is just around the corner. This cycle a total sum of £204,159 funding will be made available and for the first time, the funding also includes a Community Wealth Building Fund element of £30,000. The funding this year will be part of three funding pots: Locality PB: Health and Wellbeing, Building Community Spirit, Cost of Living, Green Projects Youth PB: Green Projects, Health and Wellbeing, Young People's Voice and Rights, Equality and Diversity and Cost of Living Community Wealth Building Fund: Community Ownership, Enterprising Communities and Local Innovation Participatory Budgeting is based on an ethos of 'it's your money, you decide'. It is a type of citizen participation where local people are involved in the process of deciding how public money - in this case the council's PB budget - is best spent. The drop-in sessions and locations are as follows: Millport DA Hall, Thursday, August 7, 5-7pm Arran Ormidale Sports Pavilion, Brodick, Monday, August 11, 11am-1pm Skelmorlie Community Centre, Monday, August 11, 6-8pm West Kilbride Community Centre, Tuesday, August 12, 6-8pm Largs Library, Wednesday, August 13, 6-8pm Kilwinning Library, Thursday, August 14, 6-8pm Towerlands Community Centre, Wednesday, August 20, 11am-1pm Ardrossan Civic Centre, Wednesday, August 20, 7-9pm Bridgend Community Centre, Kilbirnie, Thursday, August 21, 10:30am-12:30pm Beith Community Centre, Thursday, August 21, 2-4pm Dalry Community Centre, Thursday, August 21, 7-9pm Marymass Family Zone, Irvine Moor, Saturday, August 23, noon - 3pm You can also find the dates on the Shaping North Ayrshire website. For more information, contact participatorybudgeting@ Councillor Alan Hill, Cabinet Member of Communities, Housing and Islands said groups should grab the opportunity to find out more about how they can be supported. He said: 'Our residents know better than anyone else which projects will be the most beneficial to them in their local communities, so it is only fair that they have a direct say on how money is spent. 'Participatory Budgeting does just this, however we are very aware that there will be local community groups and organisations out there who haven't had the chance to benefit just yet and it is so important to us that we make sure that no one is left behind. 'Everyone is welcome – we particularly encourage people who have never been involved in participatory budgeting before to come along and find out more. 'The aim of the upcoming sessions are to engage with as many local people as we can from across our localities so that they too can get involved in the next participatory budgeting cycle, as we work together with residents and the groups supporting our communities to build a thriving North Ayrshire for all.'
Press and Journal
09-05-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Works totalling £7 million begins on Orkney deep water quay despite project still awaiting final approval
Ground investigation works are currently underway at the site of what may become a major deep water quay development in Orkney. The proposed quay, which would be at Deepdale, Holm, is the flagship of the council's plans to generate cash from offshore wind developments. It is part of the first phase of the Orkney Harbours Masterplan, which aims to introduce harbour infrastructure enhancements to the islands over a 20-year period. The investigation works underway at the moment include detailed design, ground and marine investigation works and site surveys. Marine-based site investigations will also get under way next month. Being carried out by consultants, the result of this £7.7 million work will be used to find out is the quay project is actually worth it. First Minister John Swinney visited Orkney in February to announce £5.5million from Highlands and Islands Enterprise would be put towards the works. The quay itself would cost in the region of £200 million to £250 million. But, whether it goes ahead still hinges on whether the 21 local councillors say it should. The council has continually stressed the final decision will be in the hands of the elected members But when that decision will be made is still unclear. At a meeting last November, councillor Leslie Manson, a former depute leader of the council, raised concerns about the impression the public were being given. As the project again moves forward he was asked for his opinion on the direction of travel. He said he is '100% confident' councillors will ultimately have the final say. But, he also said, whether it's the deep water quay or another project, something has to be done to secure Orkney's future. Councillor Manson said: 'I can see exactly why a lot of the general public think it's a lot of money to spend on feasibility studies and that the project is obviously going to happen. 'But I can absolutely assure you that's not the case. 'At this point in time there no clear indication of what's going to happen. 'The fact is, if you're going to be going ahead with a £200 to £250 million project, you're not going to do that without knowing its feasibility. 'It's only through scoping it that you can get accurate costing of what it would cost to construct it. 'That's the process the council is engaged with at the moment. 'I can fully understand why there's a degree of cynicism from the public.' Mr Manson said he is currently 'agnostic' towards the quay project. But to him, it presents a possible solution to economic and demographic problems on Orkney's horizon. He said: 'Some folk might argue: why do anything at all? 'They might feel Orkney is fine the way it is. 'That's where you need to look at our demographics. They are not looking good. 'We're very much an aging population.' In March, a report from the local Community Planning Partnership stated that action must be taken to deal with Orkney's population would begin declining by 2043 without 'significant inward migration.' Mr Manson said: 'Over the next 10 to 15 years we're going to find we've got a very large group of over 70s. 'Unless something is done about it, we'll also have a reducing number of 20 to 70-year-old, working age people. 'That age group is scheduled to drop off quite dramatically. Our birth rate is tailing off the whole time.'
