Update on place making project

Colleagues will be aware that we are progressing a place making project focused on our council buildings that deliver – or could deliver – general face-to-face services to the public. This includes exploring opportunities to bring services together under one roof, where people can speak with an advisor, access library services, use computers and book rooms in one convenient location.

 At its core, this project is about creating high-quality, well-used community facilities that meet the needs of both residents and employees. By taking a fresh look at how our buildings are used, we have an opportunity to develop more modern, flexible spaces that better support local communities.

Listening, learning and working together

Engagement with colleagues continues to play an essential role in shaping this work. Most recently, colleagues from Library & Customer Services came together at a staff development day focused on place making. This created valuable space to discuss experiences, share ideas and reflect on what works day-to-day in local settings. These insights are vital – frontline knowledge helps ensure that our approach is grounded in reality and responsive to community needs.

The session was designed as an open environment for discussion and shared learning, where ideas, questions and different perspectives were welcomed. By bringing these views together, we can explore practical ways of working that reflect both local priorities and the council’s wider ambitions.

Alongside this, opportunity mapping workshops have been taking place with colleagues from a range of services. These sessions have explored place making from different angles, encouraging collaborative thinking and generating ideas about how services might work together more effectively in the future.

Exploring opportunities for communities

New ways of operating buildings could also create opportunities for communities themselves. This may include arrangements such as leasing buildings, community asset transfer, or working in partnership with community planning partners and others. A key part of this has been the new policy approved to empower local organisations to do this. The Community Benefits Subsidised Lease policy provides a clear and transparent framework for leasing council owned land and buildings at less than market rent where demonstrable community benefits can be delivered. Similar approaches have been successful in other parts of the country, helping to keep valued local facilities active and sustainable.

In October, elected members agreed that further local engagement would be carried out on a community-by-community basis. This includes proposals that:

• Officers develop an outline business case with options and costings for six core library and area hubs
• Alternative service delivery models are considered at some libraries, community centres and village halls – including Haddington and Dunbar town houses – in partnership with local communities
• The feasibility of relocating North Berwick Youth Project to a former nursery adjacent to North Berwick Community Centre is explored
• Work is undertaken, with partners, to assess the feasibility of creating a publicly accessible list of community facilities across East Lothian

No decisions yet – shaping the way forward

We recognise there is strong interest from colleagues across the organisation, particularly from those based in buildings that could be used differently in the future. At this stage, the work is focused on exploring the feasibility of proposals – no decisions have been made and there are no imminent changes planned.

Colleagues have an important role to play in helping shape this work. Team managers from services including Connected Communities, Libraries and Museums continue to meet regularly and will keep their teams informed as the project develops.

Further engagement activities are being planned, giving both employees and communities opportunities to influence the direction of travel and help shape how place-based services are delivered in the future.

If you have any queries or would like to share your views, please get in touch with the project team at placemakingproject@eastlothian.gov.uk