West Lothian Community Choices

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HRA - Tenants Environmental Project

Description

There is currently a Community Choices process which gives local people the chance to influence how money can be spent on environmental improvements across a number of locations in West Lothian. This will allow communities to put forward project ideas for areas of housing land, for example ideas could range from community gardens and grow your own spaces to improving hedging and open spaces. Initially the focus will be on areas of land around council owned housing areas in Blackburn, Whitburn & Bathgate. The first stage of the process runs from 2 August until 4 October when members of the public will be asked to submit their ideas which can then be considered for allocation of funds from the tenant's environmental improvement budget.

Below is an outline of the approach that will be followed:

Stage 1 - Accepting Projects (2 August 2021 to 1 November 2021)

The programme will follow the Cyclical Maintenance Areas running order. Budgets will be the allocated for that programme year in the following order:

  • Bathgate, Blackburn and Whitburn - Process will start 2 August 2021
  • Livingston South/North, East Livingston and East Calder - Will commence August 2022
  • Broxburn, Uphall, Winchburgh and Linlithgow - Will commence August 2023
  • Armadale and Blackridge - Will commence August 2024
  • Fauldhouse and Breich - Will commence August 2025

Communities will be supported to determine their priorities, generate proposals and project ideas via the Consul platform here: Community Choices

Engagement methods will include - attendance at meetings, pop-ups sessions and social media promotion.

Project ideas can be put forward on the Consul platform West Lothian Community Choices using a MyWestLothian (also known as MyAccount) login, as well as the ability to comment on project ideas. To put forward ideas the projects must meet the following criteria:

  • be on land owned by Housing
  • be on communal/shared areas which will improve the environment and/or security for tenants in the area
  • must have agreement OR in discussion with other council services or external agencies where maintenance is or will be their responsibility at the end of a project

Projects must NOT:

be used to fund work in individual homes require ongoing maintenance by Housing, Customer and Building Services

Stage 2 - Idea Refinement to Project Options and Reviewing Projects (5 October 2021 to 9 December 2021)

The Capital Working Group, including members of the Tenants Panel, will act as a steering group and will work alongside council officers to further develop options into viable projects. Included in this will be Community Councils and Third sector organisations to look at opportunities to widen the scope of the projects/ideas.

Feedback will be provide on the outcome of the review of projects to set out which projects can be taken forward, and where project ideas do not meet the specified criteria this will also be provided and set out on the Consul platform.

Stage 3 - Decision Making (17 January 2022 to 14 February 2022)

  • Decisions on which applications will proceed will be made in conjunction with the Tenants Group.

The final results can be found below:

Thank you for all of your suggestions.

 

Applications being taken forward

In consultation with the Tenants Group it has been agreed that the following projects will proceed:

Application

Notes

Blackburn Homeless Unit

Increase planting area and raised beds.  Maintenance carried out by staff and residents of the centre.

Bathgate War Memorial

Tenants group agreed to the landscaping works only as having looked into this whilst the land is on HRA there are some discrepancies on the titles in regards to the stone boundary walls with neighbouring residential buildings and the church. No additional burden will be placed on NETS and land services whilst carrying out the maintenanc

 

Chapel Well Gardens, Bathgate

Increase planting, install seating, use planting and fencing to create a safer boundary to prevent children going onto the main road. The local community group would undertake the maintenance and some of the planting for the local people of Bathgate and also hope to have small groups of school pupils visit the area.  Introduce QR code signage to educate on the history of the area ie the provost lamp and paraffin Young

 

Applications not being taken forward

The Tenants Group have agreed that the following applications should not proceed:

Application

Notes
Ashgrove, Blackburn

Application for a public footpath to installed.  Are of land is not on HRA and was refused.  Applicant was notified immediately and the Tenants Group agreed.
Garden & Orchard, Pentland Drive, Bathgate

Whilst the land is on HRA it was agreed that given the location there was potential for anti-social issues not to mention the increased burden on NETS and land services.
Westerinch Basketball Court

Applicant was advised that the land highlighted in the application was not on HRA. There were only 2 possible areas of land in the Westerinch area where this facility could be created. One is gable end onto tenanted properties which would lead to anti-social problems.  The other would have the potential to block access to a future development site.  The tenants group agreed that this project should not proceed.
78 Mid Street, Bathgate (former swimming pool site)

Application was to leave as a greenspace.  On checking this, WLC currently have planning permission to develop the site for Social Housing.  Customer has been advised that we are unable to consider due to a live planning application for the site.  The applicant is the same person who raised an objection to the Housing Planning application.