A primary motivation for setting up a residents association might be to organise and articulate the residents’ perspective, which to my mind has long been neglected on Dunbar High Street. Tenants and Residents Associations typically:
- keep residents informed of the issues affecting their area
- campaign on local issues e.g. be it litter, antisocial behaviour or anything else
- act as a sounding board for development proposals, preferably before they are drawn up
- represent residents’ views to the local council / community council / business associations
- organise, social, leisure or educational activities
- get involved with area based schemes such as the Community and Police Partnership
- join with other residents groups to discuss issues of common concern
I think we can aim higher for I believe that we need Dunbar High Street to be a
- a great place to work and to play on
- a high quality place to live on
- a thriving and bustling town centre, comprising viable independent businesses and residents
- a space that is also attractive to tourists, with great accommodation and quality attractions, but without the nighttime economy spoiling it (for residents)
- a vibrant and viable mix of owner occupation, tenancies and holiday lets
- the main hub for a forward looking local economy, no longer wholly reliant on a traditional bricks and mortar retail model
- a location that is positive about creating opportunities and open to working with all stakeholders
But we can start small. A tenants and residents association should obviously help to promote High Street residents views, but from the above it is important that we make common cause and build bridges with local stakeholders.
For example homeowners and owner occupiers have an interest in organising common maintenance tasks (e.g. an annual or biannual gutter clearing exercise) and maybe get help procure common building and long term maintenance or repair works more economically. Our involvement in such an exercise would greatly assist traders who perceive that lack of building maintenance is detrimental to the aesthetic appeal of the town.
I think residents (and traders) could do more to help with the collection of waste and manage the local gull problem, by working with the Council on issues such as replacing broken bin lids, and talking to people who leave black bin liners out overnight. This would help reduce collection and cleaning costs.
We should talk to doggy owners who let their hounds sprinkle against shop fronts, common stairs or in shop doorways / thresholds, plus tackle the persistant dog foulers (thankfully few). This would also make our streets nicer for young children and for older folk, and because the small things matter too.
Residents and traders who take up a good number of public parking places reduce the availability for visitors. Let’s get the council to recognise that residents and traders need some provision too.
In fact any number of the smaller improvements I have talked about in this blog in recent days are amenable to being taken forward by a TRA in collaboration with other stakeholders. So let’s start small and develop the art of the possible.
But we can and we should go much further in improving the “public realm” of Dunbar.
A return to a public use for the Abbey Church or the creation of a new Community Garden implies not just significant investment, but a wide range of capacities and skills, along with a suitable governance structure to take it all forward.
Maybe we need a Dunbar Heritage Society to take forward major civic improvement projects that will further the aims implicit in the designation of Dunbar as a Conservation Area?
I suggest we need local businesses with the support of residents to articulate a bigger idea for Dunbar, to make it a modern destination town, not just a dormitory and so much more than convenience shopping, and note, I am using this term pejoratively.
Could Dunbar take forward East Lothian’s first Business Improvement District?
This would establish and create a sustainable funded business plan to take forward local improvements, improvements to local services and even improve local management. A BID, funded by the private sector, opens up partnership opportunities within a very flexible mechanism to deliver a wide variety of projects to improve the local economy. I have heard of projects that have leveraged their core funding by 800%
It also gives local businesses a unified voice and provides an arena for businesses and local authorities to increase their understanding of each other’s priorities. A BID can cover almost any project or service that local businesses agree would be of benefit as long as these are additional to services provided by the statutory authorities.
Visitors will be coming to Dunbar not just to enjoy its rich natural heritage and beautiful buildings, but to experience the arts, take part in active outdoor pursuits, and hopefully do more business.