Blackburn Regeneration Area
Blackburn has a population of 5,250. The first Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in West Lothian is located on over 400 acres of public land between Blackburn and Seafield.
Blackburn Regeneration Area
Regeneration Plan
The regeneration group's name change to Blackburn's Future Group (BFG) has been well received and all meeting and reference to the plan now include the new name. It has been decided that the overarching BFG will be a larger group with sub-groups linked to the specific themes being set up to concentrate on core issues within the themes. These sub-groups are:
a) Care, maintenance and feeling safe
b) Health facilities
c) Youth provision, play and recreation
d) Poverty, health and wellbeing
BFG will start to meet quarterly with the subgroups initially meeting monthly. However, the decision on frequency of meetings will be determined by the members of the groups and the action being worked on. The Blackburn's Future Plan is continuing to be added to, with local information from key organisations and groups being inputted into the document. Online links are being added to the plan from this year's school conference, which will allow people who are viewing the plan online to be able to listen to the conference song and see some of the videos supporting the engagement process for the plan.
There has been one subgroup meeting for the youth provision, play and recreation (c) theme. This meeting consisted of members of the community along with specific officers from WLC and workers from partner agencies including CAB and YAP. An action that is being worked on through this subgroup is the development of a new play park at Redhouse Place. Funding has been secured and a consultation is being planned by the Play Park Officer from WLC to be delivered in the local schools. The phone kiosk that is next to the site is to be removed, with talks with BT on the process for removal being underway and a consultation process having started.
An information board was brought to the Family Fun Day that took place on 19 August. This was to provide an update to the community and to also gain interest for the subgroups. In total we had five individuals sign up to be involved in the subgroups, with some joining more than one:
- Care, maintenance and feeling safe: one person
- Youth provision, play and recreation: three people
- Poverty, health and wellbeing: four people
All people will be contacted and invited to the meetings that are to be set up in September.
New activity is being added into the action part of the plan and the activity is being updated and will link into the specific themes listed above. The subgroup will begin to work on the actions during the meetings and will update at the quarterly BFG.
Launch of Regeneration Plan
It has been agreed that the plan will be launched at CABs AGM in November. This will showcase the partnership working that has enabled the plan to be produced and will highlight the importance of the community involvement for the plan and for CAB. More details will be provided at a later date with invites being sent out.
The first version is available here Blackburn Regeneration Plan (November 2018) [5MB] (correct as of 19/11/18) or at the related documents section of the page. As the document is live and will updated on a monthly basis.
Interactive Map
The interactive map is hoped to be on permanent display in the new Partnership Centre on an interactive screen that will be funded from part of the VIF secured by Blackburn Community Council. Talks with WLC IT have been underway to ascertain which would be the best possible way to implement this. The devise that would need to be purchased would need to be an all in one PC with touch screen and built-in wifi. The preferred connection would be the public access wifi as the signal strength in the reception area is good.
Community Action Blackburn (Changing Attitides to Alcohol
Upcoming Board Meetings in Blackburn Partnership Centre:
- Monday18th February 2019, 5:30pm
- Monday 22nd April 2019, 5:30pm
- Monday 17th June 2019, 5:30pm
- Monday 19th August 2019, 5:30pm
- Monday 21st October 2019, 5:30pm
- Monday 18th November 2019, 5:30pm (AGM)
- Monday 16th December 2019, 5:30pm
Please email lisablackburnwestlothian1@gmail.com (opens new window) if you would like to attend a meeting.
On behalf of the Trustees
Music Making Sessions - Community Action Blackburn
Come join Wacky for some Music Making Fun in Blackburn Partnership Centre on Tuesday's at 4:15pm. There is a £1 entry fee covering DJ & Mixing, Electrical/Acoustic guitar, Vocal Coaching and more. Open to ages 10-12 years. Please click here for the poster. Whacky Music Sessions - Community Action Blackburn [135KB]
Scottish Natural Heritage
Please find below the link to a short blog post by David from Scottish Natural Heritage about a recent learning session at Black Moss Nature Park.
