Funding secured for vital projects
At the recent meeting of Cabinet, decisions were taken that will provide total funding of £1.2m over the next two years for CentreStage, The Zone and Yipworld; secure the Additional Support Needs (ASN) holiday support programme for the next four years, and introduce an innovative project that will allow individuals to apply for Power of Attorney during dementia post-diagnostic support.
East Ayrshire Early Intervention Fund is a £40m ten-year fund, which will tackle inequality, child poverty and increase fairness in our communities by funding projects that are both meaningful and effective.
In recent weeks, First Minister John Swinney announced on a visit to CentreStage that their Fairer Future Partnerships were expanding to five new areas across Scotland – joining up local services, officering financial advice and supporting parents and carers into work.
At Cabinet, it was welcomed that East Ayrshire had become at Fairer Future Partnership area and it was agreed that the Scottish Government funding would be passed to three local third sector partners – CentreStage, The Zone and Yipworld - to deliver place-based supports that reduce poverty, demonstrate fairness, provide skills for learning and work, move individuals into employment and reduce demand in other areas.
It was also agreed that the Council would match the Scottish Government’s contribution of £0.600m to take forward ‘tests of change’ that reduce the impact of poverty, demonstrate fairness, provide skills for learning and work, and move individuals into employment.
The projects will be monitored on a regular basis and the results shared with Cabinet and Government colleagues to identify best practice and opportunities to provide benefits to other parts of the public sector.
Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said: "In East Ayrshire, we recognise that the challenges of addressing poverty and inequality require the combined efforts of a whole range of partners. As a Council we have committed £40 million to be spent over the next ten years in support of change, prevention and early intervention, reflecting our commitment to tackling poverty and increasing fairness in our communities.
“We recognise that there are organisations and projects in our communities whose location means that they are better placed to support our priorities and missions in this area, which is why the decision was taken to not only pass the funding to three community organisations but also to match this funding for the next two years. We will be to work alongside our third sector partners and, with the support of the Scottish Government, will further drive and deliver change for our communities, thinking differently about public services and reducing demand and consumption.”
In addition to this funding, Cabinet agreed to support two further projects with funding from the East Ayrshire Early Intervention and Prevention Fund.
Additional Support Needs (ASN) holiday support programme
The ASN holiday support programme has been secured for four years and will be extended to include Easter and October school holidays, subject to discussions with families on their needs. Aberlour, a charity that has delivered the holiday support programme over the last two years, will enter into a four year negotiated contract with the Council and will continue to build on the significant development work they have carried out in partnership with Education staff and parent representatives to ensure the holiday support programme meets the needs of the children and their families.
Councillor Elaine Cowan, Spokesperson for Education, and Children and Young People said: “Ensuring the development of and the stability of the ASN holiday support programme over the next four years, is absolutely the right decision by Cabinet and fits the criteria of the East Ayrshire Early Intervention Fund by making life fairer for some of our most vulnerable children and young people.
“Aberlour, with our staff and parent representatives, have worked very hard to develop the summer holiday programme and the feedback from parents and carers is overwhelmingly positive. This development work will continue because there is always more that can be done. Taking the decision at this point in the year also means that we have more time to recruit staff, which has been a barrier to delivery in the past, and can extend the programme to include the Easter and October holidays.”
Power of Attorney
Funding of up to £150,000 a year over four years has been agreed to allow individuals and their families put in place Power of Attorney during dementia post-diagnostic support, which is put in place for a year after diagnosis to help support individuals understand their illness and plan for future decision-making.
Councillor Douglas Reid said: “East Ayrshire has an ageing population and the leading cause of death for females in East Ayrshire in 2023 was Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. These terrible illnesses are traumatic for the individual and for their families and loved ones, and it is essential that plans are put in place quickly before the individual loses the capacity to make their own decisions. However, Power of Attorney can be unaffordable for many with costs of £320 per individual.
“Cabinet has taken a decision that will support individuals and families to access funding, through Alzheimer’s Scotland, and get Power of Attorney in place at the right time avoiding lengthy hospital stays while a Guardianship Order is sought. This is going to have a huge impact on our communities and help to bring peace of mind to families who are reeling from a devastating diagnosis. I am really proud that as a Council we have taken this decision and are supporting individuals at time of real need.”