Minister tours Kilmarnock projects as funding focus is set to bring big improvements
Partnership working, inward investment and regeneration in Kilmarnock were the focus as UK Government Minister Alex Norris MP came to town to meet with enthusiastic representatives of the many organisations who are collaborating to bring about exciting new changes in the area.
Starting at CentreStage, which is based in the renovated former Kilmarnock Academy building, the Minister was there to discuss progress on the UK Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods, Ayrshire Growth Deal projects and the newly created Neighbourhood Board.
Kilmarnock was one of the seven Scottish towns selected to receive a £20 million endowment style fund to invest in regeneration over the following 10 years as part of the UK Government’s £1.5 billion “Plan for Neighbourhoods”.
It sets out three strategic objectives of the programme, namely: thriving places, stronger communities and taking back control. The funding conditions required the formation of a “Neighbourhood Board” and its members include the Council, private sector, third sector and community organisations and businesses.
The board is responsible for working with the Council and community to manage that funding for strategic projects to improve the town.
For Kilmarnock, that board is headed by Dr Fiona McKenzie OBE, Founder and Chief of Engagement at CentreStage, and is being promoted as “We Make Kilmarnock”.
One of the first successes of the Board at its inception last year was the first Kilmarnock Fair Festival, which has just been given the go ahead again for Saturday 28 June this year.
To be held in Howard Park from 1pm to 9pm and featuring live music, stalls, a fun fair, food trucks and stalls the event will be funded by We Make Kilmarnock, as discussed by East Ayrshire Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 7 May.
Dr McKenzie welcomed the visit, saying: "We were delighted to host the Minister today and to showcase some of the exciting developments coming as part of We Make Kilmarnock. Our plans represent the voice of people from across all the corners of our town, including our six Alliances and we are grateful to everyone who shared their hopes, dreams and aspirations for their families and community.
"We are working to build the capability to work across all sectors in a completely new way, creating thousands of positive actions across our town, creating community capacity, increasing social capital, connecting people in creative, aspirational ways and together, changing a narrative that has suppressed Kilmarnock for decades."
The Minister held discussions with representatives from the Council, East Ayrshire Leisure Trust and the Neighbourhood Board, and those involved with the development of the Kilmarnock Plan for Neighbourhoods. He also met three very impressive young people - Kayden (who is East Ayrshire's Young Champion and Youth Voice Champion), Cailyn and Magdalena, who spoke about their involvement with the Youth Alliance, the activities they have taken part in locally and their plans for the future.
After leaving CentreStage, the Minister then travelled to meet Martyn Hay and Natalie Boyce, Joint CEOs and John McManus Chairperson of “Take a Bow”.
Their regeneration project has benefitted from multiple funding sources with £823,064 from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund, £1,695,380 from Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund, Scottish Government CARES Fund, Place Based Investment Fund and Scottish Land Fund along with £100,000 from East Ayrshire’s Renewable Energy Fund as principal contributors to the development.
The refurbished building will act as the main Community Hub in the New Farm Loch area of Kilmarnock and will provide a modern facility for the delivery of a wide range of services for local people. The refurbishment work has included a range of measures to improve the energy efficiency of the venue to reduce running costs and cut carbon emissions - building on the already well established activities run in the multipurpose centre.
John McManus said: "The visit today has been a great opportunity to showcase to the Minister the progress that has been made towards to the acquisition and re-development of the former New Farm Loch Community Centre.
"The refurbishment work is due for completion over the next few weeks and will provide a modern fit for purpose building that is able to support the delivery of a wide range of services for local people. Working in partnership with East Ayrshire Council, the project represents an excellent example of community-led regeneration and we are extremely grateful to all of our funding partners for helping us to transform the building into an exciting and dynamic new facility”.
Also in the spotlight were numerous other UK funded projects in the pipeline, including the Palace Theatre Cultural Kilmarnock redevelopment, Ayrshire Growth Deal projects including the Ayrshire Manufacturing Investment Corridor (AMIC), Ayrshire Engineering Park (AEP), AI growth zones, and skills investment.
UK Minister of State for Building Safety, Fire and Local Growth Alex Norris MP said: “I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Kilmarnock and talking to local leaders about the fantastic work already underway to regenerate the area and boost investment in the local economy.
“Our Plan for Neighbourhoods is all about restoring pride in our communities, empowering residents to take control of their futures.
“With £20m of government backing, the Neighbourhood Board is well-placed to build an exciting future for Kilmarnock.”
Commenting on the visit, Councillor Douglas Reid, Leader of East Ayrshire Council said: “We had a really fruitful day showcasing some of the amazing projects we’re currently bringing forward thanks to funding from both the UK and Scottish Governments.
“Gatherings such as this are a great reminder to us all about the level of commitment, range of knowledge, skills and dedication we have within our own communities to co-operate and make positive changes. We're all having to do our very best in challenging economic circumstances, and co-operative partnership working and smart thinking is helping us to make the most of the funds available to us.
"By investing in these projects, we’re not just renovating or creating buildings, we’re rejuvenating lives, building future skills and boosting pride and prosperity in our own place in line with our ambitions to work together to build community wealth."