As the go-to body for towns, STP continues to support Scottish Government’s delivery of the Town Centre Action Plan vision – “Towns and town centres are for the wellbeing of people, planet and the economy. Towns are for everyone, and everyone has a role to play in making their own town and town centres successful.”
Our wider work programme 2023-24 covers action themes of planning, town centre first, taxation and fiscal levers, town centre living, digital towns, enterprising communities and vibrant local economies, climate action, measuring and evaluating progress, demonstrator towns.
As part of this work programme, our Learning Event Series focuses on Climate, Digital, Accessibility and Community Wealth Building. Next on our rolling agenda – Community Wealth Building.
Join us from 2pm – 3.30pm on 27th March for our latest learning event on Community Wealth Building (CWB) and learn from local authorities in Scotland who have successfully implemented CWB Action Plans and what this means for the towns, places, and projects within that region.
Community Wealth Building is a place-based and people-centred approach to local economic development, and one that the Scottish Government has adopted as a means to achieving a wellbeing economy and the objectives outlined in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET). Based around five key pillars, CWB encourages practices such as the development of more local and social enterprises; increasing the social, ecological, and economic value that communities gain from land and property; and ensuring that the flow of investment into projects and places benefit local communities and people.
The Towns and Town Centres Cross Party Group of March 2022 provided an introduction to the topic, just as Scottish Government was set to develop new legislation and key place-based pilots were underway. Now, almost two years later, we revisit the subject to find out what progress has been made, what learnings we can gather from existing case studies, and what’s next.
Chaired by STP’s Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie, the event will invite Neil McInroy, Global Lead for Community Wealth Building at The Democracy Collaborative and Chair of Economic Development Association Scotland (EDAS) to provide context and a progress update before hearing f from local authorities on their experience so far. Nicola Hutchinson, Programme Executive, Scotland Loves Local, will share the local impact of the SLL programme on people and places.
This session is useful for all, but especially relevant to those working in or with local government, as well as those involved in community project and place-based initiatives from across public, private and third sectors.
Agenda
14:00 Welcome and Context: Kimberley Guthrie, Chief Officer, Scotland’s Towns Partnership
14:10 Progressing Community Wealth Building – an Update: Neil McInroy, Global Lead for Community Wealth Building at The Democracy Collaborative and Chair of Economic Development Association Scotland (EDAS)
Community Wealth Building in Action – Case Studies
14:30 Clackmannanshire: Paul Morris, Economic Development Strategy Officer, Clackmannanshire Council
14:40 South of Scotland: Rob Davidson, Strategy Manager Community Wealth Building, South of Scotland Enterprise
14:50 North Ayrshire: Mhairi Paterson, Economic Policy Manager (Community Wealth Building), North Ayrshire Council
Scotland Loves Local Programme
15:00 SLL Programme Impact: Nicola Hutchinson, Programme Executive, Scotland Loves Local
15:10 Discussion and Questions
15:30 Closing Remarks | Close