Chair Report – Karen Rogers
So, what does our report card say? I’d suggest it says something like, “Very
good in some areas. Trying very hard in others, but still room for improvement.”
Our contribution to decision-making in terms of planning matters has always been measured, constructive and objective. It is regrettable that there is still a legacy whereby the impression given is that planning officials of the local authority seem to regard Community Council representations as something of an irritation. However, we have found Ross Burton to be an exception to that rule and we thank him for his support and advice throughout the year. Councilors Dave King, Frank Toner, MSP Neil Findlay, MSP Angela Constance and MP Hannah Bardell have been incredibly supportive particularly with the Pumpherston Farm application and we are confident of their ongoing service moving forward and we would also thank Councilor Carl John for his contribution and help particularly surrounding the threat to fauna and flora in the location - I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the relevant back office teams surrounding the elected members.
Special thanks to Lorraine McGrorty, George Scott and Laura Moore, from West Lothian Council who have worked and supported our Community Council throughout the year and all the various teams and managers engaged on our projects – there assistance and advice is greatly appreciated and should not be underestimated.
While we have dealt with a number of planning applications three of our challenges remain; Pumpherston Farm, (known locally with affection as Dandies Farm), the new Distributor Road and planned housing/school extension and planned housing on farmland between Pumpherston and Uphall Station. A major fear for all in the village is that Pumpherston will become a suburb of Livingston; land boundaries creep nearer and nearer and encompass our historical village and threaten our identity.
We will continue to work with the community, engage and seek expertise assistance where necessary to ensure the best outcome for residents, local business and visitors alike.
I think this Community Council has and continues to strive towards, meaningful and purposeful engagement with the community and works hard to encourage all sectors of the community to express their views and concerns - ‘all sectors’ is so important because at a community level, it would be so easy for one or two specific interest groups or sectors to dominate the consultative processes just as a result of their interest and willingness to be involved; So, it is vital that the Community Council continues in its efforts to make sure that the voice of everyone in the community is heard and we continue to communicate ideas, concerns or indeed fight proposals, with vigor, where necessary.
We do engage in consultative processes with the community and this should be regarded as a huge strength. It’s not a simple thing to do and the results are often not what the council want to here, however we remain the voice of the majority, stand up for the minority and often take the harder road as a result.
With this in mind, as we enter a new year I believe it prudent to engage the community in a second consultation survey. This will form part of the process of creating a vision for the community.
We have had an extremely busy year, much of the time taken up between planning, complaints and events.
I’ve touched on planning, won’t dwell on complaints other than to again thank Councilor Dave King and Councilor Frank Toner for their assistance.
It is with regret that I report that no representation has been made by any other party at any of our meetings this year; Frank has been to all but three. As a non-partisan group I would have welcomed the input of other party Councilors and have to admit I feel somewhat frustrated that our views and opinions are not being sought. I question whether the views expressed by Councilor Frank Anderson at our inaugural meeting ‘that Pumpherston will remain and always remain an apathetic village where nothing happens are still held’ - hopefully this is not the case and an elected member of the SNP party see fit to attend our meetings moving forward.
With regards to events…wow! We have gone from zero to…well the skies (or budget and premises to be more accurate) are the limit.
The Gala Day Committee had an excellent day and we are gratefully for all their hard work and hope to see this event continue.
Our ‘Christmas Torchlight Parade’ was a huge success, despite the weather, and, we thank various people in the community who volunteered on the day to make it a success and The Big Lottery for their funding, without these funds we could not have considered such an ambitious project. We are preparing for Christmas 2016 already!
Our Heritage Events have been on-going and have attracted much attention; we are snowed under with lots of contributions – there is a huge list of contributors but the following people stand out Jim O’Hagan, Vicky Whyte, Douglas Adie, Gordon MacKerracher and Tam Jenkins; we are in their debt for their support. We are now contemplating applying for additional funding to expand this project, as it’s been such a huge success. We appreciate the funding received from HLF to allow the project to start – a couple of short films have been produced as part of the project and then main film will be ready for distribution very soon.
The Twinning Project was another huge success and we hosted members of the community who have contributed on various projects within and out-with the Community Council as well as high profile dignitaries from home and abroad. The Twinning Association has now been set up and we are in talks with our friends in Malta to arrange EU funding – special thanks to Joesette Micallef at Mtarfa Local Council for her unwavering support. We hope to have the ‘Welcome to Pumpherston, twinned with Mtarfa, Malta’ signage erected in the not too distant future. We anticipate the first visit to be sometime in 2017.
For the second year we have been able to provide a small gift, card and winter emergency information to our senior residents (the over 70 years age group) and host a Christmas Lunch event at the Golf Club. It takes a community pulling together to bring reality to these kind of initiatives; and, our thanks are extended to Pumpherston Golf Club, particularly Richard Fyvie, for hosting the event, H&M Horsburgh for providing transport and all the other companies and individuals that contributed to the success of both projects.
We have successfully organized a number of projects/events that have brought women together from different age groups – the Five Sisters Zoo Day was very well received and enjoyed. The value of these projects is insurmountable as they help galvanize a community at the core and we are grateful to Foundation Scotland for their funding.
Our events calendar is expanding and this year we are adding an Easter Event and a music festival Sing on the Bing – if successful then we hope to make these a regular feature.
With closure of Drumshoreland Road imminent concerns have been raised about the footfall in the village dropping and local businesses losing trade. This will need to be monitored and we will work with companies to seek solutions. We are currently in talks with a company regarding a ‘Producers Market’ if we can successfully negotiate an area and funding then we can be hopeful of attracting visitors’ from the surrounding area.
We hope to attract more members or visitors to our meetings, as it opens up the opportunity for this community to benefit significantly. Importantly, it provides dialogue and ideas from a cross section. We want to create an income stream for the community to sit alongside all those other fund-raising and income-generating activities that go on. So, to help decision-making about how we should use resources that might be available for the longer-term sustainable development of our community, we want the people in the community to develop a vision for what we want for our community over,
say, the next 5 to 10 years.
In the interim we will use the survey results and arrange public consultations as a reference point and build a vision and work on that using the resources that are available to use or seek funding.
The savage cuts that have hit West Lothian Council services are very real and will be felt this year particularly. We have already agreed to take over the maintenance and gardening services for the village. If we hadn’t then areas would have been grassed over and the area would look very bleak – we hope to bring some colour into the village and raise spirits with an ambitious gardening project. However, its not just about keeping the village looking tidy and pretty. The Local Authority will be seriously challenged for funds and will be forced to cut back on subsidized services and individuals will no doubt experience hardship due to welfare cuts and loss of support services. As Community Council we need to use our voice to ensure the needs and aspirations of our community are known and well understood by our elected representatives and the officers that are accountable to them
So, there are challenges as well as many opportunities for the Community
Council. What I hope is that people in the community will want to play a part in meeting those challenges and grasping those opportunities. The Community Council needs new figures coming on to give it energy and to challenge existing practices and processes.
It is customary in this report to thank Community Council members. And I do. But just to say thank you is not enough when you know the dedication to the task shown by this group of Community Councilors. We have a knowledgeable and skilful group of people who are committed to serving and meeting the best interests of this community. In times when the dominant view in society seems to be more and more about ‘Me’ and ‘What can I get out of it?’ it is a credit to that there are people who think ‘What can I do for my community? I think it’s remarkable that people are willing to
give of their time for no reward other than the hope of doing some good for the community they live in; I do think that is a wonderful thing and long may we hold those values.
Thanks are also due to those who serve their community, but not necessarily so obviously as being members of the Community Council. One example of that is the committee of Pumpherston Juniors, who provide facilities, installed the notice board, distributed and stored our planters - praise and thanks, even though that is not what they seek.
My final thanks go our office bearers, Gillian, Danny and Heather, for their hard work.
We have an extraordinarily vibrant community. Social, sporting and cultural needs should be fostered and catered for and, it takes a lot of time and commitment from people to deliver these opportunities. But it’s those things that make our community what it is; which is why we work so hard.