Agenda item

1.0      COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT

Clare Malster reported that there were 11 parts to the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and the Area Partnership would be looking at parts 3, 5 and 9 in turn.

3.1     Part 3 – Participation Request -  Community groups will be given the power to ask to be involved with local public sector bodies, like Scottish Borders  Council, Police and NHS, to improve services.

3.2     Part 5 – Asset Transfer - is aimed at community groups that wish to buy, lease or use land or buildings that are owned by public sector organisations such as SBC. To help community groups identify which land/building would be suitable an asset (property) register had been published for each of the five areas in the Borders.  There was a Community Asset Transfer policy which set out what community groups had to do if they would like to buy, lease or use SBC property.

KELSO HERITAGE SOCIETY  was the first group to have an asset transfer request. The group, who hadn’t yet been formally constituted as Kelso Heritage Society, approached the council about leasing a piece of land to plant a community orchard.  Over the period of several months the group worked with council officers to develop the paperwork which would become their asset transfer application.  During this time they were supported by staff at The Bridge, to become Kelso Heritage Society, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, and by doing so became community transfer body as defined in the Act.  However, with a 30 year lease secured the project had a few more hurdles before tree planting could start.  The prospective orchard was within the boundary of Kelso Abbey and so required permission from Historic Environment Scotland, before work could commence.

An archaeological survey, using geophysical and site excavations, was carried out where the 16 planned fruit trees would be planted.  The four local primary schools got involved and helped the wash the finds of 18^th & 19^th century pottery and clay pipes.  The site was known to be part of the Abbey’s orchard during the 12^th century but while this disappeared hundreds of years ago evidence was found to suggest it had at one time been used as an allotment.

With no significant medieval finds identified Historic Environment Scotland gave permission for the tree planting to progress.  Just before lockdown students from Borders Agricultural College, assisted by children from the primary schools, planted 16 fruit trees in February 2020, provided with a grant from Borders Tree Planting Fund.  The trees, a mix of apple and pear were all heritage varieties with a tradition of being grown in the Borders.  Unfortunately two trees were stolen shortly after planting although these had since been replaced.  Although the project was paused due to the pandemic educational packs, including some of the finds and their history, were prepared by the archaeologists ready for when the schools reopened.

3.3     Part 9 – Allotments – A register of property which was held as part of the common good had been established and was maintained. 

COMMUNITY FOOD GROWING STRATEGY

Amy Alcorn, Greenspace Programme Officer was present at the meeting to update on Part 9 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.  It was explained that under the legislation local authorities were required to undertake new duties in relation to allotment management (i.e. new allotment regulations, preparation of annual Allotment Report), increase transparency on the actions taken to provide allotments and develop a Food Growing Strategy.  The aim of the Food Growing Strategy was to support and facilitate anyone who wanted to get growing through existing growing opportunities and new approaches to growing.  The Objectives of the Food Growing Strategy were to provide a central resource for community growing information, to raise awareness around Community growing in the Scottish Borders, show communities how to get growing; where, how and who can help community groups, to help get community growing projects off the ground and to help identify potential allotment sites and growing spaces.  In terms of the Cheviot area, it was explained that funding had been granted to Generation Working Together and with a partnership approach between the school community, Community Learning Development teams, GWT and funding from the Cheviot Community Fund an intergenerational project had been developed at Jedburgh Grammar Campus.  The project aimed to bring children and young people from the school together with older members of the community volunteering their time, to learn together and help develop the garden project with a focus around the learning and community support it could bring – plant to plate, enhancing the local environment, sustainability and climate action – through fostering strong positive relationships which increased skills, confidence, social cohesion and break down issues around social isolation and ageism.  Amy went on to explain that Eildon Housing Association had turned their greenspace at the back of one of their developments into a fantastic set of allotments for their tenants and other local people.  This had given much needed outdoor space to people during lockdown, and improved peoples fitness and access to home grown food.  The next stage of the development was to work with local partners to turn the area on the left into a community garden for local people to come and take part in gardening activities (for more info contact Lita McHale (07810123201).  Amy concluded her presentation by detailing the contact details as follows:-

Amy Alcorn, Greenspace Programme Officer – Amy.Alcorn@scotborders.gov.uk

Lisa Brydon, Volunteer Coordinator - Lisa.Brydon@scotborders.gov.uk

DECISION

NOTED.