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Case Studies |
Examples from Partners
Scotland
Stonehaven
 Project Title: Stonehaven Open Air Pool
Description: Aberdeenshire Council working in partnership with the Friends of the Open Air Pool. Funded by part Council, part Friends (through sponsorship/fundraising) with some of the work required at the facility done voluntarily by the Friends.
Objectives: To prevent closure and ensure the sustainability of this unique asset to the town into the future. Process/Stages:
- Action Group – Friends of the Open Air Pool formed by the community in reaction to proposed closure of facility.
- Aberdeenshire Council engaged the Group in talks and after careful negotiation formed a working partnership to run the Open Air Pool.
- This partnership continues to function effective 10 years on.
Outcomes/Results:
- Turning a protest group into part of a successful partnership
- Saving a valuable asset to the area.
- A heightening of civic pride and community engagement
Learning Points:
- Solutions to problems can be found through successful communication and careful negotiation with the correct people
- The community wants to be engaged when the appropriate vehicle presents itself.
Contact Information: Jacqui Christie, Business Support Officer, email Mr William Munro, Aberdeenshire Council email Pool website: www.stonehavenopenairpool.co.uk |
Stonehaven Town Hall Study
The Aberdeenshire Towns Partnership commissioned a study to look at future use of town hall and to develop a strategy to refurbish it and sustain its operation in the future. Other objectives were to engage with users, potential users and community about its future use and to develop options for redevelopment taking account of needs, aspirations and sustainability. The process/stages were: review condition; engage with community; develop options; cost options; create a business plan; recommend preferred option. The outcomes/results were presentation of findings and agreement on way forward. The learning points were: (a) users may find it difficult to think longer term beyond immediate needs and problems (b) the need to take care not to raise fears that facility is under any sort of threat (c) the need to ensure that findings and recommendations are robust, realistic and sustainable.
Contact Information:
Steve Welsh, Community Recreation Team Leader - South
Telephone: +44 (0) 01569 768229. Email
Report can be found in: www.britnett-carver.co.uk/susset (Stonehaven)
Stonehaven – Town Recreation Study
A study was commissioned by the Stonehaven Recreation Grounds Trustees to look at the needs of sports and recreation clubs and other interest groups in the town. The objective was to develop a strategy that would meet the finance needs and ensure sustainability of the trust, clubs and activities. The process/stages were: review existing data; interview clubs and interest; workshop; present options. The outcomes/results were: strategy for long term and future provision of facilities; implementation plan; business plan for long term sustainability. The learning points were: (a) it is important that all clubs, interest and activities know what each other is doing and share knowledge, expertise, resources and facilities. (b) single interest groups may be reluctant to participate in the bigger picture (c) sustainability is critical to success (d) all stakeholders must understand and be committed to objectives.
Contact Information:
William Munro, Area Manager, Kincardine and Mearns
Telephone: +44 (0) 01569 768200. Email
Sweden
National anti-buglary scheme – ‘Neighbourhood Co-operation.’
Problems with safety issues in the residents´ daily life are very common. In Sweden, there is a national project concerning burglary in residential districts called Neighbour cooperation (compare with the UK ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ scheme). It is joint project supported by the Police, the insurance companies and the House Owners Association. The house owners keep an eye on the neighbour’s property while staying away. This cooperation is announced on conspicuous signs in the area.
Stromstad
Strömstad– ‘Safe and Secure Environment Scheme’
The local council works with ‘Safe and secure environment’ groups on a variety of issues, including domestic violence and a public health approach in all plans for the community. We have a safe and secure network that is responsible for the prioritised groups: safe environment including more lampposts etc, less broken bones among elderly in the homes (fall prevention) safer traffic environment- working with the routes to and from school etc, less damage from graffiti etc and less domestic violence. There is a network with people from 15 different settings meeting regularly with our common plan including both promotion, prevention and caring for women, children and men. Our community should be accessible for all by 2010. We are working on a plan together with people with various handicaps.
Kungälv
Kungälv – combined school and library
 The new education and culture centre in Kungälv, Mimers Hus, was built in 2003 following architectural competition. It houses a well-equipped library, a theatre, an exhibition hall, conference facilities, a café and a restaurant as well as the municipal cultural school. Glass walls expose the three-storied open space in the library to by-passers - the building itself invites you to ‘openness’. For the first time, public facilities were partially financed by private interests. A private company formally owns one part of the building; the municipality owns the rest of the buildings. The school unit, the culture unit and some other office-based units utilise almost every square metre of the facilities. The current solution creates a lot of discussions about responsibilities for media and infrastructure in the different units of the building, how to handle maintenance, manage common areas etc. Otherwise, the project is highly successful and has resulted in a quality facility for the town. The daily activities in Mimers Hus attract a lot of people. Small children come to have their first dancing or music lessons. Senior citizens come to be introduced to the mysteries of the Internet. People of all ages come to listen to a concert or to go the theatre. They take part in a workshop or use the numerous public computers. They read the newspaper or they find the book they didn’t know they were looking for. Or they just meet over a cup of coffee.
Project Title: The sports arena project – Mimers Hus
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Description:
Politicians and sports clubs together to define the needs for a new sport arena. Find a common picture. Agree on a specification.
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Objectives:
Establish a good long term partnership with the local clubs
Define a more realistic scope for a sport arena – based on real needs.
Be able to identify possible sponsors
Get the sport club to be involved in the ownership and daily operation
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Process/Stages:
One of the existing sport arenas has to be removed because of future exploitation plans.
The original plan was to build a new one, as a part of Mimers Hus. During the municipality planning work it was clear that many of possible interest were not on stage at all. The good ideas and experiences from local sports clubs were not taken in to consideration enough.
Back to basic again. A new project specification. The specification and planning should be done with a clear involvement by the sport clubs and also politicians!
The job started, or let us say, a new creative process was started. In short time there were ideas about layouts, functionalities, financing, sponsor contributions and much more.
The municipality managers are supporting the process, but it is led together. With this way of working, all parties take more responsibilities for the initial work, for the solution and have god incitements to take care of things.
We have established a more trustful relation to the clubs. We are open they are a fully authorized part etc.
In the current stage, there are now serious ideas about having the sports clubs to take the entire investment and the ownership of the arena!!
That couldn’t happen 5 years ago.
This is valuable case that will be a base for other collaboration projects between public and private interests.
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Wanted Outcomes/Results:
- A useful and well equipped sport arena
- A substantial involvement from the clubs in all aspects
- Sharing of responsibilities in the local community
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Learning Points:
- Don’t underestimate the power and the knowledge of the sport clubs and their sponsors
- Create an open climate from start – don’t hide information or knowledge!
- Be open for completely new ideas!
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Contact Information: Henrik Haglund
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Examples from Elsewhere
Lyngby , Denmark (population 56,000)
Green Facilities
The municipality of Lyngby has had a management plan for its green spaces for more than 20 years. Because of the high priority of green spaces, the town has over 600 allotments. In order to get more benefit from this asset, the local authority decided to change the design of some of the larger allotments. Each allotment was divided into four sections: a flower park, a forest park, a nature park and a normal park. This significantly reduced the amount of area which required mowing and made the allotments much more attractive to users. The attention and consultation paid to the re-design of these areas was extremely well received by residents. Designs took into consideration the safety of users. The consultation allowed residents to have an influence in ensuring the provision of desired facilities such as football pitches. It also increased residents’ sense of place and ownership of the green spaces that assists in the upkeep and maintenance of the areas.
www.map21ltd.com
Sustrans , UK
Safe Routes to Schools
In many countries, the daily school run has become a routine for many parents. By walking or cycling to school, children are more alert and develop healthier lifestyle habits. However, children walking or cycling to school are at risk from a number of sources. Part of the motivation behind taking children to the school door is out of fear for their safety. Sustrans acknowledges the risks children face when travelling to school. As part of its Safe Routes to Schools programme, it seeks to develop methods for reducing these risks. The types of methods available range from simple community-based initiatives to larger-scale transport developments. For example, a walking bus could be implemented within individual neighbourhoods. A number of children are ‘picked up’ by their peers and a chaperone and all walk to school together. The local authority also develops a comprehensive traffic-free path to service neighbourhoods within the school catchment area. Using the principles of good design, it would be well lit and overlooked to reduce anti-social behaviour. The appropriate solution depends on the individual needs and resources available for the community and the school.
www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk
Extended Schools
Extended school services allow small communities to maximise the benefits of school facilities. This could include using classrooms at night for adult learning, the shared use of sporting equipment and facilities, after-school childcare provision, or summer learning options for students. In Suffolk County the majority of students are from rural areas or small market towns. In 2004, the local authority launched a scheme to provide school clustering and extended services. This involved appointing Extended Service Development Officers who co-ordinated activities between local schools to ensure a balanced mix of programmes and resources. It also provides the basis for partnerships between education, social care and health agencies. After-school and summer childcare programmes gave students a safe place to spend their time, and resulted in a 20 per cent reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour. In addition to this, the instance of bullying has also reduced drastically. Finally, by communicating on a regular basis, the programme has also made school officials more aware of skills shortages or behavioural problems. This means officials from a number of agencies are more capable of providing support for struggling students and families.
www.tda.gov.uk
Safety in the Built Environment
The issue of community safety has a significant impact on the social, economic and environmental functions of a town. This police-based initiative is based around a key principle to design out crime. The guidance discourages the use of high walls and gated communities. Instead, it is important to develop a sense of place, especially in new residential and regeneration areas. A sense of place ensures that everyone can easily go about daily routines without the fear of crime. Careful attention must therefore be placed on physical protection, access and movement routes and ongoing maintenance. Any development should make appropriate use of the natural surveillance of residents and passers-by, as well as schemes such as ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ and use of technology such as CCTV and radio link ups. It should also consider the level of activity it attracts throughout the day and night and risk assessments of potentially vulnerable areas, such as car parks, underpasses and alleyways, should receive special attention. The Secured by Design initiative provides design guidance documents for a range of developments as well as free development advice.
www.securedbydesign.com
Principal Contacts
Secured by Design - www.securedbydesign.com
Sustrans - www.sustrans.org.uk ; www.saferoutestoschools.org.uk
Renewal.net - www.renewal.net
Training and Development Agency for Schools - www.tda.gov.uk
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