Follow the LEADER

For those of you not in the loop, so to speak, LEADER is a European funding programme, which is reckoned by the Eurocrats to be at the innovative end of the structural funds support programme, a very bureaucratic grant scheme intended to even out regional disparities in the economy. It is particularly geared to support for development in rural communities. The last LEADER programme ran from 2007-2013 and added £3.1 million to 72 projects in the Tyne Esk LEADER area, which is an appreciable number and sum.

A new programme will run from 2015-2020. To secure European Funding, there is a need to prepare a Local Development Strategy and Business Plan for the Tyne Esk programme area. Midlothian and East Lothian Councils are now consulting as widely as possible, but somehow I missed the announcement of the local workshop. Never mind, for there is an online form, commendably short and to the point.

The deadline for completing this survey is the 26th of June 2015.

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The Town Centre First (and Last) Principle

Yes the policy wonks have excelled themselves and have come up with: “The Town Centre First Principle encourages the public sector to continue to invest in town centres and help communities thrive.” I am sure they would argue that they always have, even if occasionally funds have been misdirected.

So what is this really about? Is it really about “adopting an approach to decisions that considers the vibrancy of town centres as a starting point”? Or is it just a sop to the medieval guild of shopkeepers, who have failed to adapt to the modern world parading their flakey business models like cattle awaiting slaughter.  Government and local government are pretty poor at directing investment or picking winners, let alone able to stimulate regeneration where there are deeper or structural issues of deprivation. But they have shown themselves to be supine to the marauding demi gods of convenience shopping and the motor car.

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Create a Community Garden

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Where would you put a central community garden?

this article, first published in September 2013 has been updated

The vacant backlands of the old Empire Cinema are calling out for a sensitive regeneration, having remained derelict now for a number of years. It is a great shame that such a large amount of money was invested in assessing and preparing this and the neighbouring but unconnected Abbeylands site for social housing development, only to shelve the plans.

But perhaps it is no bad thing that there is now a prospect of some significant green space being retained right in the heart of Dunbar, instead of being built on or paved over. Too many backlands have been developed and where housing has been developed, social or otherwise, invariably little or no green space has been added. Plenty of car parking, but little green space and very few trees.

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