July 2024 update: SDC’s achievements, plans and frustration

We hope you are enjoying the summer weather and all that is great about the Strathnairn community and environment.

As the Board of SDC, we are providing this update so that you can all see what we have been doing over the recent months (see the summaries from Jessica, the Community Development Officer on the website:  https://www.strathnairndevelopment.scot/documents/). This shows how much has been achieved in implementing the aspirations of the community (see the Community Action Plan on that page) as promised.

We have been working with community groups and other organisations to create strategic and detailed plans for the coming year (see the SDC Planned Work 2024-25). However, these are on hold as we have not received funding from the Strathnairn Community Benefit Fund to employ the services of two part-time Community Development Officers to support community groups and Strathnairners in their plans and activities.

We expand below on the achievements, our plans and our frustration.

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It has been brought to our attention that our email communications have not been reaching our members for some time. We had been posting updates on our social media pages and the Strathnairn Facebook group, but an error in our systems meant these were not also emailed to you. For this we apologise, as we fully understand that many people do not use or monitor social media. We have now established a system whereby regular email updates will be provided, based on the activity summaries we produce to report to monthly Community Council meetings.

The absence of a Strathnairn community newsletter also means less regular communication, and we have volunteered to produce a bi-monthly ‘What’s On’ newsletter to plug that gap until a newsletter is re-established. Next edition is due out in August. Your feedback on the first issue is welcome and thanks to those who contributed.

In the meantime, allow us to recap some of our main activities for the past few months:

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The SDC Board: SDC has ten trustees with a variety of skills and interests, and a wealth of experience in the governance of community organisations (https://www.strathnairndevelopment.scot/).We are delighted to share that our Chair, Prof Mike Danson, has been invited to address the closing plenary of the DTAS (Development Trust Association Scotland) annual conference this August!

In February we said goodbye to trustees Kirsty Adam, Scott MacDonald and Jillian MacLennan. We thank them for their fantastic contributions over many years and look forward to keeping in touch. We are also very excited to welcome Elna Harvey, Aileen Taylor, Guy Harris, Justyna Szczachor and Haldane Robinson to the Board.

Community Development Officer (CDO): Jessica Boughey, our CDO since November 2023, sadly left in May 2024 as she found a new position at the Highland Council that suited her personal circumstances and career path well. As a Board we were delighted with her initiative, commitment and support over the 6 months she spent with us, and we are sure many groups in Strathnairn have benefitted and agree. Her detailed and strategic work has contributed towards implementing our Community Action Plan and generated legacies that we build upon. Her performance assessments were very favourable, and it is with genuine regret that we said goodbye to her. The SDC Board considered our options, sought external advice about recruitment and HR from our community development network including DTAS, SCVO, the Scottish Government, SSE and development practitioners in the Highlands. On hearing from several interested candidates we submitted a proposal for two part-time CDO roles to SCBF in June – to enable complementary skills and a team environment. A month later, the only feedback received from SCBF is that they have concerns whether the CDO role offers value for money and are withholding funding. This has prevented us from advertising the posts. We hope this will be resolved quickly.   

Neighbouring straths and other Highland areas with less people and fewer funds commonly have ten or more community staff and project managers, achieving wonderful things for their communities. We urge more aspirational thinking on this front. Our CDO is only our first employee and we need to have reasonable expectations of what a single person can do and what increased employment could add. The need for SDC, SNCC and SCBF to collectively manage expectations and not overburden our first community employee was discussed at several meetings in 2022. Current needs for a CDO or multiple community employees in Strathnairn extend far beyond what volunteers can deliver in pursuit of development aims: to facilitate a Local Place Plan; to progress affordable housing; funding proposals for things like a Multi Use Games Area, for sustainable travel, safe pathways for young, old and all in light of our increased traffic burdens, more and improved outdoor recreation spaces; to run events; collaborate with external organisations like Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Climate Hub and other neighbouring communities. SDC regularly meet with and try to learn from other Development Trusts in the national network about their approaches, successes and challenges.

Community Hub Steering Group: This group comprises two members from each of SDC, SCBF, the Community Council and Farr Hall Committee and has met regularly since November 2023. The group’s remit is to advance thinking and plans for the widely expressed aspiration for a social hub, with Farr Hall agreed through consultation as the primary venue. A social hub is a welcoming, inclusive, multi-purpose community space for everyday social interaction and use, to generate cumulative social benefit and generation of ideas, friendships and actions. This represents a step change from a hall with a reservation system, so requires thoughtful planning and upgrade of facilities. There are many examples and guidance on how to establish a hub, and the group have had informative outings to Strathdearn and Boat of Garten to understand their facilities, staffing, decisions, successes and challenges.

Around 50 people attended a consultation day in January and discussions about specific possible features of the hub have advanced. See the reference document produced by the Steering Group showing the trail of decision making to date, reflecting the different preferences voiced (from cosy social spaces to gym to after school clubs and pump track) and the current status of their planning, and the consensus about next steps. Certainly residents have expressed that a hub in Strathnairn should primarily serve the local community rather than seeking to attract others and their revenue. Strathnairn Connect and Farr Hall Committee have already been doing fantastic work in piloting and running a local café, hotdesking, craft clubs, markets etc. on particular days.

It is planned that consultant architects (specialising in community spaces) will be engaged to help explore options for delivery of the wider aspirations in the future – three firms have been approached and quotes of c.£6,000 obtained for engaging the community in a brief feasibility study to better define what a hub should deliver for Strathnairn and to then provide drawings of different design options which could deliver that.

The steering group supported Farr Hall Committee’s wish to progress with building improvements in the meantime, whilst hub plans develop, by extending the front room used for the community café. At the time of that decision this was expected to cost below £100,000 and not compromise future hub plans or SCBF’s budget. However, at the most recent Steering Group meeting it came to light that the Farr Hall improvements are now estimated to cost £350,000, also including toilet improvements and a storage space at the back of the hall. SDC trustees have asked for confirmation of this figure and the status of both its planning application and any application of funds to SCBF, as well as a discussion as to how this impacts longer term plans for a hub and the engagement of architects. To our dismay and although we strongly disapprove of this unauthorised and counterproductive step, the SCBF Chair (rather than providing information and welcoming such discussion) declared at the June Community Council meeting that the hub steering group should be disbanded, and since June the group is no longer functioning.

We urge more transparent and cooperative interaction in future on matters of importance to the wellbeing of the community. Rest assured that with or without the steering group, SDC will continue to work collaboratively with the Farr Hall Committee on behalf of the community through transparent, joined-up, rational, long term thinking and strategic planning to deliver a hub and wise use of community funds. Not least, this must involve discussion of how community spaces in Daviot and elsewhere fit in with a hub.

It is vital that our benefit fund and development trust collaborate well, working alongside and respecting each other, creating alliances and supporting one another to make gains for the community. Yet currently we are not on this journey together, with SCBF instead issuing decisions without effectively engaging, listening and building shared ideas for how to progress. To ensure such instances of poor governance and politics as those described above do not happen again, we recommend that:

a) Informal fortnightly meetings between the leadership groups of the main community organisations take place as a platform for improved communication and cooperation. The lack of it is impeding development in the strath, making the lives of volunteers difficult and harming the community.

b) Community organisations should conduct a skills audit, training needs assessment and aim for diverse and inclusive recruitment. Trustees, directors and councillors of community organisations should undertake suitable training on the good governance of community organisations, to improve standards of cooperation, trust, cohesion, transparency and representation, as recommended by national organisations such as OSCR, DTAS, SCVO and government agencies.

c) We believe that the interactions between our main community groups need to be transformed, and further ways to move past the current situation and achieve more for the Strathnairn community could include a reshuffle and mixing of the 15 board members of SCBF and SDC, and a commitment from SDC, SCBF and SNCC that women be established as Chairs for at least the next three years (perhaps with some of their time funded). 

Gaelic language and culture events: Gaelic in Strathnairn events were held in late February and were very successful. Additional funding of £3,800 has been secured from Bord na Gaidhlig for more conversation cafes, talks on heritage and nature, bookbug sessions and approximately 40 free Gaelic classes, which are being held on Wednesday evenings in Farr Hall (contact us via michael@strathnairndevelopment.scot and check on the SDC and Strathnairn pages on Facebook).

Community cinema: Two fantastic cinema days were held in January and March in Farr Hall with the great financial and logistical support of Grazina at Community Film Scotland, so that these events were at no cost to the community. On these days we showed a kids’ film in the afternoon, and grown-ups’ movie in the evening. The kids’ films were packed, and the snacks and bean bags made for a great atmosphere. The grown-ups’ movies were reasonably attended, but we are considering options for documentaries with speakers, particular theme evenings, providing meals alongside etc. to increase numbers. There are possibilities for further funded events and training for organisers. If you are interested in becoming part of a Strathnairn Film Group, please get in touch (strathnairndevelopmentcompany@gmail.com).

Farr Gala: The gala in June was a great day, fun for all ages with a fabulous turnout, despite the low temperatures. Huge thanks to FANS, Paul Robinson from SDC and all who were involved in its organization. Anybody wishing to get involved next year, please let us know, all help very welcome (strathnairndevelopmentcompany@gmail.com).

Climate change event: A Climate Action Film and Conversation with guest speakers was held at Daviot Church in April. Through partnership with the Climate Hub, showcasing a film on Climate Action with partners from Highland Adapts and SSE in attendance.

Strathnairn Initiatives: Jessica arranged business coffee mornings for any small initiatives in Strathnairn with HIE in attendance. This first meeting was well attended and participants expressed an appetite for more in the future.

Local Place Plan: Jessica began the development of an engagement plan, further research and consideration of the consultation process, with a view to facilitating Strathnairn’s Local Place Plan process in the near future. Local Place Plans are led by and developed by the community, and contain their proposals for the development and use of land, and provide a new opportunity for communities to feed into the planning system with ideas and proposals. The local place plan for Strathnairn is an opportunity for real, community-based change.

Daviot Church: Support is being provided for the aim to increase community usage of the church through development of an events strategy.

So, a lot has been achieved in implementing the community’s aspirations in the Community Action Plan, and we have plans to progress more of these to fulfil the hopes of Strathnairners. But we need to be funded for the CDO positions so that we can continue this work and can support community groups in achieving their own plans. Our neighbouring communities are much smaller than us but each have 10 or more community staff to deliver for their residents by using Community Benefit Funds, Strathnairn deserves the same.