Agenda and minutes

1.               WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS

          The Chairman welcomed everyone to the in person meeting, which included Elected Members, Community Council representatives, Community Organisations and guests attending within the meeting.  She outlined how the meeting would be conducted.

• Minutes

(i)            Copy Minute from meeting held on 28 September 2022.  (Copy attached.)

(ii)           Copy Minute from additional meeting held on 10 September 2022.  (Copy attached.)

• Menti Feedback from meeting held on 28 September 2022.

1.         Feedback from meetings on 28 September 2022 and 10 OCTOBER 2022  

The minutes of the meetings of the Cheviot Area Partnership held on 28 September 2022 and 10 October 2022 had been circulated with the Agenda. 

Update on Place Making progress in Cheviot.

          SECTION 1: SERVICE & PARTNER UPDATES AND CONSULTATIONS

3.1     Climate Change feedback and next steps: The Community Engagement Officer thanked everyone who took part in the discussion. There were interesting comments raised around understanding the scale of the challenge and what everyone as a whole needed to do to reduce our carbon footprint.  Interest was raised in how energy could be created from local rivers, how to increase solar panel usage and consider alternative energy and heating sources and how to encourage a decarbonisation strategy.  In terms of next steps; SBC was working with delivery partners to provide home energy efficiency projects under the SG funded Area Based Schemes.  If communities were interested in community renewable energy options, particularly hydro, SBC can signpost communities to Local Energy Scotland. SBC was collecting information on communities which were interested in developing projects with a view to organising a workshop with Local Energy Scotland.  SBC was working with Scottish Communities Climate Action Network and local groups to potentially develop a local Climate Hub/Network to support behaviour change. SBC was also piloting a Demand Responsive Transport pilot in Berwickshire to look at ways of improving local transport services.

DECISION

NOTED.

3.2      Information on Kalemouth Bridge had been circulated to the local community and was    being circulated around the Area Partnership for information.

3.3      In response to a question raised at the last meeting concerning the rationale for the boundaries

 of the Area Partnerships, it was advised that boundaries were based on the electoral         boundaries rather than High School boundaries. [Democratic Services can expand on this if required].

3.4         The consultation report on the former Jedburgh Grammar School Site which had been mentioned at the last meeting was available on Citizenspace and had been shared with local groups.

3.5         In terms of the question raised on the Community Plan, the Community Planning       Partnership’s Community Plan was agreed in May 2018.  In early September the Community Planning Strategic Board agreed a 12 month Work Plan along with a full review of the Community Plan in 2023-24.

Catherine Francis,  South of Scotland Enterprise.

The Chairman welcomed Katy Jackson, Community Development Advisor, SOSE to report on theexciting new 250 mile on-road coast to coast cycle route covering the length of the South of Scotland which would be launched in summer 2023.  The new product was aimed at experienced cyclists who feel comfortable cycling on road.  The new Coast to Coast (*working title) route would run from Stranraer to Eyemouth, making it one of the longest in the UK and a new discovery route for experienced cyclists.  The route was expected to bring significant economic, environmental and community benefits to the South of Scotland but also contribute to the national economic performance.  Early projections were that the new route could attract up to 175,000 new visitors to the region, with a direct spend of £13.7million per year.  The project was aiming to be delivered in time for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships which would take place in August 2023 in venues across Scotland with 11 days of competition taking place in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway.  Three of the thirteen championship disciplines would take place in the South in August next year and by launching the route in advance of the Cycling World Championships, it was hoped to offer spectators and visitors a great cycling holiday experience to extend their stay and explore the very best of the region.  The development of the route was being led by South of Scotland Enterprise who were using a TEAM South approach through the South of Scotland Cycling Partnership including Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders councils, South of Scotland Destination Alliance, VisitScotland, Cycling Scotland and Sustrans Scotland.  The route was aligned with the new South of Scotland Cycling Partnership Strategy which by 2032 aimed to deliver a new VISION that “our South of Scotland Communities are shaped around ALL of our people and cycling is the most popular choice for shorter, everyday journeys and embedded into the daily fabric of the lives of our residents and experiences of our visitors.’  The route would start in Stranraer and take a stunning journey through towns and hamlets finishing in Eyemouth.  It would pass through the very best of the landscape, including Newton Stewart, Kirkcudbright, Dumfries, Langholm, Newcastleton, Hawick, Selkirk, Melrose and Coldstream.

Ms Jackson went onto to highlight the importance of using local knowledge as they moved    into phase one of a 3 phase project.  Disappointment was expressed that the route did not include Jedburgh and potential links to attractions in the Borders be considered.  Questions were raised as to how success would be measured and links to what was on offer in the Borders were highlighted to encourage detours of the route. 

DECISION

NOTED.

Overview from SBC Communities & Partnership Team.

Cheviot Funding Tables 2022/23

There had been circulated copies of the Cheviot Funding for 2022/2023 which detailed the funding available together with information on the allocation of the Community Grant Fund in 2022/23.  The opening balance at 1 April 2022 was £80,268.39 plus underspend from the Community Fund in 2021/22 of £28,640.65 and underspend in the Local Festival Grant in 2021/22 of £2,953.00, which resulted in an overall budget of £111,862.04.  Neighbourhood Support Fund applications awarded to date totalled £23,980.43.  Other sources of funding included Local Festival Grant Budget totalling £16,675.00, Annual Support Grant to Community Councils totalling £10,470.00, Common Goods, SBC Enhancement Grant, SBC Welfare Grant and SBC Small Schemes totalled £196,676.17.

DECISION

NOTED.

(i)         NSF recommendations to be presented by the Cheviot assessment panel on the following applications:

      Kelso Cricket Club

      Kelso in Bloom

      Sprouston Coronation Hall

(ii)          NSF recommendations to be presented by the Cheviot assessment panel on the fund criteria

There had been circulated copies of a report which detailed the recommendations of the Cheviot Community Fund Assessment Panel. The report provided a brief description of each application received and a recommendation on the sum to be awarded to each project.

5.3     Kelso Cricket Club

An application had been received from Kelso Cricket Club requesting £2,160 was received for the purchase of a marquee to replace the old marquee which had been destroyed in high winds and storms.  The marquee was used for hosting events which helped raise funds for the club.  The Panel were supportive of the project and recommended that £2,160 be awarded. 

5.4     Kelso in Bloom

An application had been received from Kelso in Bloom requesting £2,500 to purchase perennials and shrubs to provide an alternative and more financially sustainable planting scheme for Kelso. The perennials and shrubs would be used to enhance the entrance to Kelso from Sprouston by developing the beds in front of the Linn.  The Panel were supportive of the project and recommended that £2,500 be awarded.

5.5     Sprouston Coronation Hall 

An application had been received from Sprouston Coronation Hall requesting £2,101.75 to fund the installation of a switch rated at 100amps to provide a connection to a generator in the hall to create a safe refuge for members of the village in the event of another major power outage.  The Panel were supportive and were of the opinion that this would enhance the village’s provision as a rural community and was a good example of the community being proactive. Recent experiences had shown the vulnerability of communities for different reasons.

          DECISION

AGREED that the following sums be awarded to each of those listed:-

·         Kelso Cricket Club - £2,160

·         Kelso in Bloom - £2,500

·         Sprouston Coronation Hall  - £2,101.75

5.6     There had been circulated copies of a report from the Cheviot Assessment Panel who were seeking to increase the maximum grant to £5,000 (currently the maximum grant was £2,500).  The Panel were of the opinion that raising the limit to £5,000 would encourage more groups and organisations to apply and support local groups/organisations to deliver projects/initiatives.  All other Localities had an application limit of £5,000 or above and were on course to spend their Neighbourhood Support Fund before the end of the financial year.  Assuming the current applications to the Cheviot Neighbourhood Support Fund were approved it would leave a balance of £92,652.33 to spend before the end of March 2023 and based on the number of applications received for the year, it was highly unlikely that would be achieved.

5.7     The Assessment Panel were also requesting to remove the restriction that groups could only submit two applications per annum and that they must be for different Groups as this was particularly challenging for Community Councils who were often the main body for organising and delivering community projects in their area.  The panel believed the scrutiny of applications applied at the assessment stage would consider the merit and worth of all community  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

Kelso Skate Park Floodlighting

7.0       POLICE SCOTLAND UPDATE

            Sergeant Ali Grainger was present and explained that the Police Community Officers were hoping to make contact with the small Community Councils and develop a working relationship.

            Community Officers were:-    Gary Chisholm (Jedburgh)

                                                            Kirsty Chisholm (Kelso)

                                                            Paul Owenson  (Kelso)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DOCUMENT

The Chairman advised that additional information was included in the agenda pack which contained information on current consultations and links to useful information.

DECISION

NOTED.

Wednesday, 1 February 2023 – Venue to be confirmed.

9.0       DATE OF FUTURE MEETINGS

          Future Meetings of the Cheviot Area Partnership would be held on the following dates:

          Wednesday, 29 March 2023

          Wednesday, 31 May 2023

            The next meeting would be held on Wednesday, 1 February 2023 at 6.30 p.m. via Microsoft Teams.