Buckie development trust plans given green light to forge ahead
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PLANS to forge ahead with setting up a development trust for Buckie have been given the green light.
A virtual public meeting last Thursday evening backed the plans to form a trust, which is a community-owned and led organisation, working to combine community-led action with an enterprising approach to address and tackle local needs and issues. The aim of the organisation is to create social, economic and environmental renewal in a defined geographical area, creating wealth within that area and keeping it there.
The meeting heard from Lucy Espeland of the Development Trust Association of Scotland (DTAS) who outlined the many benefits which can accrue from a development trust and also the support which DTAS can offer. Also in attendance were Debbie Craig, Project Officer, Kirkcudbright Development Trust and Lesley Garbutt, chair of the trust, who shared their experiences of getting a trust up and running.
Behind the drive to form a development trust are Buckie Area Forum (BAF), the Community Monitoring Group (CMG) of Buckie’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan (LOIP) and Buckie and District Community Council (BDCC).
The meeting was declared a huge success Gordon McDonald (BAF), Susan Chalmers (CMG) and John Stuart (BDCC).
Mr McDonald praised the enthusiasm shown for the project.
He said: "The meeting was an outstanding success.
"Past efforts to form a development trust failed but the appetite is there now. It was a pleasant surprise to see such enthusiastic support and that groups see a need for a development trust.
"One of Buckie Area Forum's functions is to bring groups together so this is a natural route for us to take."
While cautioning that the project was still in its infancy, Ms Chalmers said the potential offered by a trust meant that, for Buckie, the "world's our oyster".
"The CMG had been looking at refreshing the LOIP and a recent survey showed that there was a need for an overarching structure like a development trust," she continued.
"A trust will allow Buckie to maximise its volunteer pool by bringing groups together.
"It was an excellent meeting with a broad range of groups represented, which was amazing and there was a wide range of ideas put forward.
"It's early days, but the world is our oyster."
Mr Stuart highlighted the "untapped potential" within Buckie which a development trust could help unleash.
"There is a huge untapped potential in Buckie with multiple groups which have a large volunteer base.
"Just because some groups don't get involved in other committees doesn't mean what they do is any less valid.
"A development trust keeps all this together, to bring broader Buckie together and do lots more for the people of the town.
"As I said, the untapped potential here is huge. A development trust will help us work together on large projects which I can only see as a positive thing – this is a great opportunity.
"It was great to see the different tiers of engagement after the meeting, from the 11 or 12 who volunteered to serve on the steering group through to those who'd like to be kept up to date with how things are going."
Assisting the drive to form a development trust is Moray Council community support officer Tracey Rae, who said the backing shown for the project at the meeting had left her "buzzing".
She commented: "I'm so heartened by the success of the meeting and the range of partners who attended.
"I came away from it just buzzing.
"There's an opportunity for people to get involved at different levels, we don't want it to be a case of the same folk wearing different hats.
"A development trust will allow groups to work together to access funding and resources they might not be able to do on their own.
"It's early days yet and there's a lot of hard work to be done but the potential is enormous."
The meeting heard that there were many potential benefits of a trust.
Owned and managed by the local community, it would independent and able to work in partnership with others in the private, public and third sectors.
A trust would be able to bid for funding not accessible by many existing local organisations or Moray Council and could manage projects which the likes of the Area Forum or Community Council would be unable to undertake.
Such a body would look to generate income through enterprise and ownership of assets and re-invest trading surpluses in the community while quickly responding to new opportunities when they arise.
By bringing groups together under the umbrella of a trust it help ensure a joined-up approach to activities and projects and maximise volunteers’ contribution by reducing duplication as well as providing a focus for organisations and individuals to work together to address issues of concern within the community.
In addition, it would provide a hub for holding and sharing community resources, skills and information
Forming a development trust could pave the way for employing a development officer for the town.
Driving the project is the the aims of the 10-year LOIP and the local needs it has identified. Launched in 2019, its original remit covered the Buckie central east area, but this has now expanded.
Twelve volunteers have stepped forward to serve on a steering group to form a trust, the first meeting of which is scheduled for a fortnight's time.
Anyone who would like to get involved with the development trust project should email abetterbuckie@gmail.com in the first instance.
