Tweedsmuir has reviewed and updated their Community Action Plan (CAP). The initial plan developed in 2017 has been used to represent the interests of the community, inform and prioritise community activities and secure grant funding for community projects. The ambitious new plan will build on these successes.
The CAP review highlighted the achievements of the past 5 years including the opening of the ‘Wee Crook’, development of the Community Garden, Village Hall improvements, mapping of paths, installation of heritage interpretation boards and establishment of the Ecomuseum.
Residents and other stakeholders expressed their views about living and/or working in Tweedsmuir, what they value, their priorities and concerns. For example –
‘We feel very lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country’
‘Friendly, familiar faces willing to engage’
‘Being able to be involved in projects that have real purpose’
‘We lose our friends. Most folks our age leave the area because it doesn’t provide facilities for older people’
‘Commercial forestry seems to be dominating the landscape’
‘Poor access to communications infrastructure, broadband and mobile connections.’
It became clear that several themes from the initial plan were still relevant and have been carried forward. However, new areas for action were identified including –
- ensuring the sustainability of Tweedsmuir as a place to live and work
- exploring options for reducing the community’s carbon footprint
- providing support for community groups and volunteers – vital to the life of the community
- identifying processes for meaningful engagement in decisions about local land use
The actions outlined in the CAP will now be translated into a work plan against which progress can be measured.
You can read the Community Action Plan here (pdf file will open in a new browser tab or window)