A PDF version of this submission is available here.
The below queries were submitted by Dennistoun Community Council to George Gillespie (Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Regeneration and Sustainability, Glasgow City Council) on 7th November 2022, copied to all Dennistoun Ward and Calton Ward Councillors (Anthony Carroll, Allan Casey, Elaine McDougall, Greg Hepburn, Cecilia O’Lone, Linda Pike, and George Redmond).
Dennistoun Community Council (DCC) welcomes the principles and proposals of the GCC Connecting Communities Project and the Liveable Neighbourhood (LN) plan. DCC and its Community Councillors (CCllrs) have enthusiastically promoted and engaged with the project at all stages of consultation to date.
- Promotion by DCC, which was accompanied by successful engagement on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram:
The recent publication of the RIBA Stage 1 Report and subsequent drop-in event shows encouraging progress. All projects on the longlist have merit. The Opportunities Maps provide an insight into the elements those projects are based on, and which will require further consideration in due course.
There is much to be optimistic about in terms of the social, economic, environmental, safety, and health benefits that the whole neighbourhood will be able to access and enjoy.
Of the 25 longlisted project proposals, the first 14 are located within or have a direct connection to the DCC area. DCC is especially keen for these projects to go beyond proposed aspirations stage, and for them to become a reality that will actually benefit our community. And for that to happen as soon as possible.
It is noted that the Stage 1 Report assigns certain categorisations to the longlisted project proposals. Particularly…
“Live/Planned”:
- Duke Street ‘Streets for People’
- Alexandra Parade ‘Streets for People’
- Dennistoun Streets for People (includes Onslow Drive Active Travel Route)
- Parkhead Forge / Hogarth Park / Alexandra Park active travel route along disused railway line
- Haghill / Dennistoun Community Gardens and Woodlands
- Reinstating Parkhead Railway Station
Not “Live/planned”:
- Railway Bridges
- Reidvale Streets for People
- Milnbank to Royston Path
- Haghill active travel green routes along disused railway line
- Improvements to Hogarth Park
- Haghill Cross
- Alexandra Cross
- Todd Street Green Space Improvements (or extension of Hogarth Park)
“Short Term Phasing”:
- Milnbank to Royston Path
- Improvements to Hogarth Park
- Haghill / Dennistoun Community Gardens and Woodlands
“Medium Term Phasing”:
- Duke Street ‘Streets for People’
- Dennistoun Streets for People (includes Onslow Drive Active Travel Route)
- Reidvale Streets for People
- Haghill Cross
- Alexandra Cross
- Todd Street Green Space Improvements (or extension of Hogarth Park)
“Medium–Long Term Phasing”:
- Railway Bridges
- Alexandra Parade ‘Streets for People’
- Parkhead Forge / Hogarth Park / Alexandra Park active travel route along disused railway line
“Long Term Phasing”:
- Haghill active travel green routes along disused railway line
- Reinstating Parkhead Railway Station
The Stage 1 Report notes that not all proposals will be delivered directly by GCC and that external groups (e.g. Housing Association, developer, other social organisation or community group) are encouraged or expected to apply for funding/grants that are not available to Local Authorities.
With that acknowledged, some questions arise, as follows…
- Does “Live/Planned” mean a specific Council team and/or source of finance has been identified or allocated that will enable these to progress? If so, what are the details? If not, who has responsibility for the progression of each of these projects beyond the Stage 1 report longlist?
- Aside from the Railway Bridges project which is currently being progressed to RIBA Stage 2 as part of the LN process, who has responsibility for the progression of each of these projects beyond the Stage 1 Report longlist?
- Which projects are expected to be delivered by external groups? And in those cases, in what ways is GCC planning to pro-actively identify relevant external groups and engage with them to ensure the best opportunity for all projects to progress beyond the longlist?
- What are the timescales being identified here, in terms of months or years?
Essentially, these queries can be summarised as: What are the earliest possible start dates for each project, and how will those start dates become a reality? Without committing to named departments, numbers, or dates, these categorisations mean very little, and there is a lack of accountability. Even rough estimations would be instructive as to what expectations should be, and would go a long way toward upholding and maintaining the credibility of the LN plan.
In considering these queries, DCC would seek to draw attention to some existing GCC-led projects which are related to the LN process and outcomes.
The initial Neighbourhood Infrastructure Improvement Fund (NIIF) options lists presented to the Dennistoun (and Calton) Area Partnerships fell short of pledges made in advance of their publication. £1m per ward across the city over a 5-year period until 2027 “considered, consulted and informed by local communities and stakeholders into how it should be spent” could contribute significantly to furthering some of the LN projects. GCC NRS has committed to providing a written report to the next meeting of the Dennistoun Area Partnership (23/11/2022), detailing an engagement plan with online and in-person consultations to gather investment ideas from residents, including a detailed breakdown of costs for each proposal. The NIIF, therefore, should be used as a key that begins to unlock some the potential identified by the LN plan.
- DCC engagement with the NIIF here:
- Can assurances be given that the NRS NIIF report to the Area Partnership will include details on costings for LN longlist projects?
The Inner East Strategic Development Framework (SDF) is intended to help shape the vision for local amenities, active travel, green space, connectivity, transport and housing in a Dennistoun that’s a healthy, high-quality neighbourhood to live/work in. The consultation closed in September 2021. Feedback was scheduled for March 2022.
- DCC engagement with the Inner East SDF here:
- In what ways will the Inner East SDF help to move some of the LN projects forward?
Citizens’ Panels are part of a new model of Area Partnerships created to increase participatory budgeting and “ensure wider inclusion, better representation and more people are involved; and better understand local priorities and what people want and need”. The form they will take is still to be fully determined & finalised. Their rollout is scheduled to take place in all wards of Glasgow by June 2023.
Wherever possible, DCC has engaged constructively with GCC while Participatory Budgeting and Citizens’ Panels proposals are developed. Three DCC CCllrs attended a GCC Community Council Development Session on the subject on 20 Aug 2022, and we have liaised with Partick CC and Calton CC to discuss progress.
- Background:
- Will Citizens’ Panels play a part in securing or allocating NIIF (or other) funding for LN projects?
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