Place Making and Locality Planning
What has the Project done to date?
As this is such a wide ranging Programme of work, early activities were focused on two localities:
- The North Isles of Yell, Unst and Fetlar
- Islands with Small Populations (below 100 people), Fair Isle, Papa Stour, Foula, Skerries and Fetlar
The North Isles
The North Isles Fibre project secured £1.9 million in funding from the UK Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Completed in 2021, the project delivered high-speed broadband connections to schools, care centres, health centres and other public buildings in Yell and Unst. The project successfully improved public services for these islands and their communities.
Islands with Small Populations
Shetland Partnership partners and island communities, through consultations and forums such as the Commission on Tackling Inequalities, were increasingly expressing concerns and raising issues about Shetland’s more remote island communities. These communities, of Fair Isle, Fetlar, Foula, Papa Stour and Skerries, each have populations of fewer than 100 and have been generally declining and ageing more rapidly than elsewhere in Shetland. Service providers have also found it challenging to recruit sufficiently qualified staff.
The Islands with Small Populations initiative was used as the basis for developing the first Locality Plan for Shetland communities. Representatives from the five islands were brought together to share their experiences and discuss their priorities. Managers from across organisations with responsibility for delivering services were invited to be involved, sharing any challenges they faced and any opportunities they saw. This helped to identify shared priorities across the islands, giving the communities greater influence and control over things that matter to them.
Strategic meetings are regularly held throughout the year, bringing together community and service delivery representatives to discuss opportunities for improvement and tackle prominent issues.
Wider Work
Outside of the Programme of work aimed at the North Isles and Islands with Small Populations, work was broadened with the aim of improving outcomes for all communities.
Connectivity
FarrPoint were commissioned to analyse connectivity in Shetland at a community level. This was compared to the UK and Scotland’s connectivity and actions were highlighted which could improve local availability. These were presented to the Shetland Islands Council Development Committee in January 2022.
Islands Deal
Further activity includes the signing of the Islands Deal. The Islands Deal outlines plans for the UK and Scottish governments to each invest £50 million in the future economic prosperity of Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles. It is anticipated to unlock a further £235 million of investment from project partners, delivering a combined £335 million boost for the islands. The proposals aim to put the islands at the forefront of the transition to net zero and support thriving, sustainable communities. The Islands Deal will help both the Place Making and Locality Planning project and the Talent Attraction project in achieving their aims.