SMALL TOWNS TASK GROUP

Douglas ScottChief Executive’s Development

Scottish Borders Council

February 2009

STRUCTURE

• Origins of the Small Towns Task Group

• Scottish Small Towns Report (Summer 2006)– Findings and Recommendations

• Progress of Small Towns Task Group

• Proposals for a Small Towns Fund and Whole Town Plans

• Work on Developing a Consensus

ORIGINS OF SMALL TOWNS TASK GROUP

• Concerned about the very brief mention of the urban structure outside cities in the Scottish Cities Review – 2003

• Lack of recognition of the role of towns in rural policy

• Small Towns facing a ‘time-bomb’ in terms of the need for spending on buildings especially in town centres

ORIGINS OF SMALL TOWNS TASK GROUP

Small Towns Conference held in September 2004 at Tweed Horizons,

Newtown St Boswells, Melrose.

KEY FINDINGS FROM CONFERENCE

Challenges and issues facing small towns:

• economic – fragility;

• social – services/social exclusion;

• physical – town centres;

• infrastructure needs and connectivity.

KEY FINDINGS FROM CONFERENCE

• Backlog of investment - fragile and vulnerable.

• Engage with communities and local businesses

• Learn from Market Towns Initiative and Europe.

• Limited research on the role and contribution of towns in Scotland

• Need evidence based survey for Scotland.

• Need Scottish Government support / commitment / resources.

SMALL TOWNS TASK GROUP MEMBERSHIP

• From May 2005.

• 20 local authorities.

• Administered by Scottish Borders Council on behalf of the South of Scotland Alliance, with support of COSLA.

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORT

Evidence Based Approach

• Small Towns conference findings.• Literature review.• Scottish Parliament’s Inquiry into Accessible

Rural Areas evidence.• Meetings with VisitScotland / Communities

Scotland / Scottish Enterprise National / Highlands & Islands Enterprise

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORT

• SURVEY OF SMALL TOWNS

• 20 local authorities.

• 33 towns.

• 298,192 population.

•

SMALL TOWNS REPORT FINDINGS

• Estimated 30% of Scottish population in towns between 2000 - 20000

• Classification - 4 different types of towns – commuter influenced,

industrial (including fishing), rural market towns and island towns.

• Small towns provide valuable services toi their hinterlands and act as

drivers for their local economies

• Policy gap between city and remote rural – failure to look at contribution

of urban structure as a whole

• Consensus on the need for national policy framework for small towns

• Major resource constraints in relation to interventions in towns

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWN FINDINGS

• Important part of Scotland’s culture and heritage• Significant contributor to national economy but towns also

economically fragile• Small towns have inherent strengths, opportunities and energies –

business and, community groups and people• Towns want to be ‘real communities.’• Index of Deprivation underestimates level of disadvantage in small

towns• Considerable physical development needs – deteriorating town

centres • Considerable numbers of examples of local authorities/agencies

taking a proactive approach to sustain, regenerate and seize opportunities.

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORT

SMALL TOWNS POLICY FRAMEWORK

• Policy continuum - cities / remote rural areas – also clarification role of towns in city regions

• Improve small towns contribution to national priorities.

• Enhance cross-cutting portfolios coordination in Scottish Government

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORT

SMALL TOWNS POLICY FRAMEWORK

• Significant public sector resource requirement at national level.

• Make best use of existing European and national funds

• National agencies to contribute to small towns and community planning – e.g. Scottish Enterprise and Visit Scotland

• More attraction of private investment

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORT SMALL TOWNS POLICY FRAMEWORK

• Development of whole town strategies (more about this later)

• Better engagement community and business interests / release latent social and entrepreneurial talent and capital.

• Provide a robust database / network for exchange of best practice and further develop / maintain policy framework.

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORT

SMALL TOWNS POLICY FRAMEWORK

• Improve support for small private retail outlets. • Improve incentives to attract private sector

investment to towns – attract more interest from private developers

• Develop proposals for changes to fiscal regime to encourage private sector investment.

• Improve integration of public / private sector infrastructure investment in development areas.

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORT SMALL TOWNS POLICY FRAMEWORK

• Support proactive work under SPP8 ‘Town Centres and

Retailing’

• Develop a mechanism to supplement the Scottish Index

of Multiple Deprivation to better address needs of small

towns in rural areas

• Develop / use building condition survey national template

and proactively address physical deterioration.

SCOTTISH SMALL TOWNS REPORTRESEARCH NEEDS

• Share best practice / agree performance standards. • Establish independent research resource.• Undertake analysis of impacts of retail activity• Improve understanding / recognition of small towns

in city-regions.• Improve data on current / forecasted tourism spends

in small towns.• Develop / implement national template - nation-wide

systematic buildings and public realm condition survey.

THE WAY FORWARD

• Small Towns Task Group has continued to meet

• Before the last Election put forward the idea to Scottish Government of a Small Towns Funding Instrument (£90 million) based on providing ‘ring fenced’ funds to Community Planning Partnerships

THE WAY FORWARD – SMALL TOWNS FUND

• CPPs to select two priority towns for action.

• Direct Scottish Government agencies to release funds for local activity in priority towns.– Staff time and funds (but will retain their

national agenda).

• CPP / agencies / local authorities work up “Whole Town Plans”

THE WAY FORWARD – SMALL TOWNS FUND

Whole Town Plans• Social, economic, environmental, physical –

holistic.• Direct spends, enabling, support, leverage.• Outcomes based on “Healthchecks” analysis and

Whole Town Plan vision.• Delivery over 4 years.• SMART outcomes.• Scottish Government assesses bids and bid

outcomes against Healthcheck data and Whole Town Vision.

THE WAY FORWARD – SMALL TOWNS FUND

Whole Town Plans

• Agency, business and community engagement.• Assist in delivery of outcomes in Single Outcome

Agreement• Capitalise on and develop local skills, knowledge,

experience and capacity.• Greater involvement in locally elected organisations.• Develop community pride.• Subsidiarity / localism.• More sustainable local communities.• Demonstrates links between community engagement and

sustainable development.• Unites People and Place …

Developing a Consensus for Towns and Town Centres

• Commissioned a second report entitled ‘Making Towns Count’ to look at the way in which towns can be given a higher profile in Government policies and the advocacy of towns strengthened

• Supporting the Scottish Government’s BIDs initiative and Towns’ Web Site

• Establish Alliance for Towns• Work with the Cross Party Group on Towns • Influence Single Outcome Agreements

Developing a Consensus for Towns and Town Centres

• Recognition of contribution of towns to urban, rural and regional policy structures

• Whole Town Planning – (community and physical)• Designation Town Centre Zones • Master Plans (Town Centres) • Tax incentives/allowances, rates relief• Retail Business Support Scheme• Promotion of Towns and Town Centres – Unique Selling

Points etc • More Interventionist competition policies in retailing to

promote diversity

Developing a Consensus for Towns and Town Centres

• Stronger approaches to tackle empty, poorly maintained and underused buildings

• Public/Private Development Schemes• Care of Public Realm• Management of Towns and Towns Centres• Benchmarking/Learning from Best Practice• Building of Skills and Capacity of Officials and

Communities and Business Groups