My trip to the Shetlands...by Andrea Jones
The Shetland Islands are a surprising long way! The TV weather map gives the impression that they are just off the coast of Scotland but they are as near to the Faroe Islands and Norway as they are to Aberdeen.
The Shetlands are in a unique position. Unlike the rest of the United Kingdom the Council is not as yet facing the sharp cuts that the rest of the country is struggling with because they have revenue from oil. Nevertheless engaging with residents, identifying priorities and enabling local people to participate in decision making are just as important in Shetland as anywhere and because of this the Council applied to be one of the Scottish PB pilots.
The pilot is taking place on an estate called North Staney Hill which is made up of 1960s public housing and the adjoining area of Hoofields which is a small group of prefab type housing soon to be demolished and rebuilt. This is a close knit community with well kept gardens and a recently refurbished community centre but there are issues with some of the housing being used for temporary lets which has led to some tensions with a view that some who live in the short term accommodation bring the area down. It is quite apparent that many people love living in North Staney Hill perched as it is on the edge of Lerwick. As one resident put it “it’s got the benefits of living in the town and the country”. But residents expressed concern that an address, particularly in Hoofields, was associated with anti social behaviour.
The PB initiative is aimed at bringing the community together. The Council have added some money to the pot and there is now £40,000. Over recent months a questionnaire has gone to all residents asking about their priorities for improving the area. Bids are now being sought from both community and non-profit making organisations based on the priorities identified in the survey – improving the environment, activities for young people and support for the elderly. The decision day is 25th September.
Apart from helping the Shetlands team to design the decision day I also talked to officers about how PB might be used in more mainstream budgets.
The Shetlands are an amazingly beautiful place and the people are extremely welcoming and friendly. Whilst at present not suffering quite the cuts that we are doing “down south” priorities will need to be rethought and reshaped. I think there could be huge potential for developing PB in Shetland . The islands are by their very nature a well defined geographical area, there is good local media. People expect good services but the fact they have had the “oil money” means that mostly people haven’t thought about priority setting and what services the Council should or should not provide directly. If the pilot is a success PB in Shetland could go from strength to strength.
