Agenda and minutes

The Chair varied the order of business as shown on the agenda and the Minute reflects the order in which the items were considered at the meeting.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting of the Tweeddale Area Partnership being held via Microsoft Teams and outlined how the meeting would be conducted and how those both in the meeting and watching via the Live Stream could take part.

(a)        Menti feedback from the meeting held on 7 February 2023. (Copy attached.)

(b)        Minute and Action Tracker of the meeting held on 7 February 2023. (Copies attached.)

There had been circulated copies of the Menti feedback and the Minute of the Meeting held on 7 February 2023.  Hannah Lacon reported that feedback was generally positive. Following the presentation from Harry Whitmore at SOSCH, some links in Tweeddale had been established.  There were enquiries into whether or not some meetings of the Partnership might be in-person in future or remain online.  The matter was to be discussed in the meeting today.

DECISION

NOTED

An update from Iain Gibson.

Iain Gibson from Action for Peebles Young People was due to present however IT issues prevented his prompt appearance.  Ms Lacon and Councillor Pirone provided an update.  There had been a change to the name of the group – Peebles Youth Voice.  The group had come into being by way of Peebles Community Council and other stakeholders to facilitate a stronger provision for young people in response to anti-social behaviour around Tweeddale.  There was a drive to change the language around the behaviour, and through consultation with young people via Peebles Youth Action, information was gathered around what was missing for young people and what they would like to see in their area.  This provided a valuable insight into this demographic for the ongoing Place Making Plans.  There had been a request for provision that was specific to young people and already Costa in Peebles High Street had facilitated ‘Teen Evenings’ for S1-S3 pupils and the Eastgate Theatre had expressed an interest in providing a teens’ film/music night.  Councillor Pirone had been involved with discussions about the provision of an outdoor shelter in the area around the skate park.  There was to be further consultation on this with a meeting mid-April.  There was the hope that this early engagement would lead to further youth involvement in local democracy.  A local street pastor initiative was also under consideration.  Iain Gibson joined the meeting and provided further information.  Peebles Youth Voice had been set up four months ago and involved TYA, Oor Space, Church of Scotland Leckie youth worker, Peebles Youth Trust with support from Hannah Lacon, Social Work and Police Scotland.  There was also youth representation in the group.  The group had recently considered how to improve vocational training opportunities and discussed issues around alcohol abuse reported by youth workers.  Progress had been rapid with a positive response from young people.  Funding posed a major challenge, particularly with the end of the Covid Recovery Fund.

DECISION

NOTED the update

An overview of the role of Climate Action Network from Gordie Campbell.

Gordie Campbell, Network Co-ordinator, gave an overview of the work of Scottish Borders Climate Action Network.  The main goal was to support and build capacity in climate action that included community groups, charities, social enterprises and other civil organisations throughout the Scottish Borders. With funding from the Scottish Government and support from Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN) and members of the Scottish Communities Alliance, a network of regional hubs was to be set up to support communities in realising their climate action goals.  There were currently thirteen Network Coordinators and two hubs. Mr Campbell’s role was twofold: to support the creation of network that supported a self-governed group; and to provide a hub that resourced what was needed for organisations or groups to fulfil their aims.  Mr Campbell had already staged a series of five visioning events so far across the region, and in Peebles on 6 February 2023.  Membership of the Network Hub delivered an extensive range of support: the mapping of existing climate action activity; to support in the design and delivery of mitigation and adaptation projects; to seed and develop new community climate action; to foster peer to peer learning; to facilitate coordination and collaboration and learning across community groups; to signpost to organisations/agencies; and to identify funding opportunities.  Ultimately a strategy and action plan with strategic priority areas was to be created, and then communicated to the local communities, with support given before, during and after public consultation exercises.  Work on establishing the Scottish Borders Hub was to begin imminently, with a funding application to be presented to the Scottish Government and recruitment to follow.  A stakeholders’ group was to be set up and comprised between five and ten people to support the governance of the Network Hub and identify a regional approach.  Initial contact was to be made with local organisations in late April to offer membership of the Network.  A further meeting was to be expected for the Tweeddale area in late May which Hannah Lacon undertook to attend.  Ms Lacon confirmed the intention for the SBC Community Engagement team to collaborate closely with Place Making through Crick Carleton and the Scottish Borders Climate Action Network.

DECISION

NOTED the presentation

Consider the progress report from Crick Carleton, Chair of Place Making Working Group.

Crick Carleton, Chair of Place Making Working Group provided an update of progress to date. The positive momentum continued across the area, though the smaller communities were still to begin the initial stages and required more focussed support which had been offered by the Community Engagement Team.  Community groups were liaising with one another both within Tweeddale and further afield.  A total of five communities across Tweeddale had already or were to undertake the scoping and survey exercise, including West Linton, Skirling and Walkerburn.  This process was to collate baseline data from which priorities were to be identified for the Place Making Plan.  Funding was available to communities through SBC Place Making Programme and the Consultancy Framework which was now operational.  Meetings were to be convened for the Place Making working groups to facilitate the sharing of experience and guidance on how to assess the data gathered so far and how to begin the process for those who had not yet started.  Communities were to continue to make contact with Hannah Lacon and Kenny Harrow as the first point of contact on any community based project.  Work had continued with SBC and CGI to produce a web based sharing platform for groups to use.  The mechanism needed to be accessible to communities across the South of Scotland to allow for cohesion.  Local youth groups had taken part in Peebles Place Making working group discussions; Peebles Youth Voice was to be invited to join the group.  This Saturday 1 April from 10-4, there was to be an open forum on Future Peebles in Macfarlane Hall for the public to express their views on local priorities.  It had been highlighted that a Shared Prosperity Fund paper that was due to come to Council on 30 March detailed a substantial amount of money that was to be targeted to support Place Making to be accessed once a Place Making Plan was in place.  A new working group had been set up within SBC which consisted of the project managers within the Borderlands programme with specific input to and from Tweeddale and it was anticipated that there would be opportunities to draw down funding in a similar way to the five Borderlands towns.

            DECISION

NOTED the update

Copy attached.

There had been circulated copies of the Tweeddale Funding Table which showed available funds in the Tweeddale area.  The Neighbourhood Support Fund had £93,357 available at the start of the year less £57,719.97 awarded thus far.  If all applications totalling £46,769.26 were successful, an overspend of £9,132.23 would remain.  Councillor Tatler reported that the Small Schemes budget had now been spent.  

DECISION

NOTED the update

Tweeddale assessment Panel to present funding recommendations for the following NSF applications;

·         Peebles Orchestra

·         Cardrona Village Association 

·         St Ronans Silver Band

·         St Ronans Wells Garden Volunteers

·         Peebles Bowling Club

·         Food HUGS

·         Upper Tweed Community Enterprise Ltd

·         Walkerburn and District Community Council

·         Nomad Beat

·         Sustainable West Linton and District

·         Clubsport Tweeddale

·         Carlops Community Garden Group

·         Linton Hotspur Community Football Club

(Copy to follow.)

Peebles Orchestra planned to perform a concert of Mendelssohn's oratorio "Elijah", which combines the orchestra with a choir, and four solo singers. The application was for the fees of the four professional soloists. There was a question of the wider community benefit as it was a paid event.

DECISION:

AGREED not to fund.

7.2       Cardrona Village Association  £2300

The Cardrona Village Hall suffered from high levels of noise and echo owing to the hard surfaces, vast space and high ceiling. In conjunction with a sound engineer the group had identified a short-term project to cover the windows and doors, as well as some of the walls with theatrical curtain to improve sound dampening. The Association were advised to apply to the Peeblesshire Village Hall Association for funding and a list of specialist companies was to be compiled. 

DECISION:

AGREED not to fund.

7.3       St Ronans Silver Band £1800

The ClassBrass project was designed to give up to twenty children the opportunity to learn to play a brass instrument in a supportive, progressive and highly motivational environment.

DECISION:

AGREED to fund.

7.5       St Ronans Wells Garden Volunteers £3771

The application was to fund the refurbishment of 150 square metres of paths at St Ronans Wells Garden. The eroded paths were in a poor state of repair having deteriorated over many years and were potentially unsafe. The group had been looking to undertake this work for a while and it would encourage more people to use garden.

DECISION:

AGREED to fund.

7.6       Peebles Bowling Club £7500

The application was to fund an extension of the Clubhouse facilities of the Bowling Club i.e. Locker Room changing facilities; new toilets incorporating disabled access; new lounge for social interaction of teams and members; new kitchen facilities to provide refreshment for visiting teams and social events for members.  An application had been made to Sport Scotland for the bulk of the costs.

DECISION:

AGREED not to fund.

7.7       Food Hugs £1520

Food HUGS 12 month pilot project requested funds for equipment and room hire (£650) plus £1040 for additional weekly food items so that the Food HUGS team could prepare and cook from scratch 20 portions of healthy meals suitable for reheating. These meals were to be distributed every Wednesday via the Sharing Shed (accessed by anyone in need, free of charge). This was a cost of living application and as such the group was to be linked in with the existing food network to access other more appropriate funding sources.

DECISION:

AGREED not to fund.

7.8       Upper Tweed Community Enterprise Ltd £6577.06

            Planning permission had been secured to extend Broughton Village Store. While works were to be carried out to the shop it was to trade from the Village Hall Cottage (summer 2023 to spring/summer 2024). The application was for funds towards the costs of preparing the Cottage for use as a shop (flooring and shelving).  The group were to be encouraged to liaise with local Men’s Sheds and to claim back VAT where  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

Opportunity to raise local matters.

Feedback from meetings held in the Tweeddale area in relation to Place Making Plans reported some interest in forming development trusts.  Ms Lacon agreed to facilitate an exploratory session for the Tweeddale locality.  Councillor Tatler informed members of a public consultation exercise on Clubsport at the Gytes Leisure Centre on a Saturday afternoon in the near future.

DECISION:

NOTED 

Consider the appointment of a new member to the Peebles Parking Working Group.

The Chair proposed the appointment of Councillor Thomson to the Peebles Parking Working Group.  This was agreed.

DECISION

AGREED to appoint Councillor Thomson to the Peebles Parking Working Group.

The next meeting of the Tweeddale Area Partnership is scheduled for 13 June 2023. Agenda issued 30 May 2023.

Are there any items you would like to propose for the agenda? 

Please contact your local councillor or the Communities & Partnership Team

The next meeting of the Tweeddale Area Partnership was scheduled for 13 June 2023.  The meeting was to be held in person and Hannah Lacon undertook to find a suitable venue. 

Ms Lacon encouraged attendees to complete meeting evaluation forms via the link in the chat and to submit any items for a future agenda.