NORTH EAST FIFE

LOCAL STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT

2016

Fife Council Research Team

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1. Overview The Local Strategic Assessment provides an overview of how a Local Area is doing. It collates a wide range of information and, through facilitated sessions with a range of individuals involved in the Local Community Planning process, gives key input to the refresh of Local Community Plans and an input into the wider Fife wide Strategic Assessment.

The current North East Fife Local Community Plan is focused on delivering three key priorities:

1. Supporting elderly people

2. Promotion of business and tourism

3. Connectivity

Many of these issues were highlighted in the Local Strategic Assessment process, highlighting their importance to the area.

There is concern around the theme of Supporting elderly people, in recognition of the fact that the elderly population in North East Fife is expected to experience a marked increase in coming years. There are concerns about support networks, particularly for those elderly people who may be living in rural areas with little family support. The potential difficulty in accessing health care, particularly in rural areas or as a result of potential changes to public transport, is also a concern.

The Promotion of business and tourism is seen to be important to the tourism industry and wider economy of North East Fife. The importance of St Andrews is notable, along with the potential to spread tourist spend more broadly around the area. Transport links are viewed as being insufficient to respond to the needs of the tourist economy, particularly with regards to public transport being suitable for the service sector within St Andrews. Additionally, the impact of second homes in North East Fife on local services and community makeup was highlighted.

Connectivity, particularly in relation to transport and digital skills, is a major theme. It is recognised that a train service with limited stops and a reducing rural bus service means that car travel is often the only option, increasing concerns about social isolation for those who do not have access to this resource. Mobile phone and broadband coverage is also identified as being poor in North East Fife rural areas, affecting the ability of people to work from home and to run start-up businesses. Community hubs are viewed as a potential means of providing more integrated, accessible services.

The role of Training and education in North East Fife, including the future of the Scottish Rural College and Fife College, and the range of courses offered, the relationship between St Andrews University and the local community, and the impact of forthcoming and planned new high schools is seen as an important theme.

North East Fife Area Workshop, County Buildings, Cupar, 16 June 2016

Facilitated sessions allowed us to combine analysis with local expertise. Four sessions were held, focussed on Place, People, Community and Horizons.

Above, a range of people involved in Local Community Planning engaged in a number of facilitated sessions in Cupar.

REPORT CONTACT: Fife Council Research Team Fife House, Glenrothes. Contact- Dr William Penrice, Research Manager

William.penrice@fife.gov.uk

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2. Local Assessment Findings

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3. Profile

North East Fife area is the largest of Fife’s seven areas, and stretches from the River Tay in the North, to the Firth of Forth in the south east. St Andrews is the largest town, followed by other main settlements, including Cupar, Newburgh, Auchtermuchty, Newport and Anstruther. The area is much less reliant on manufacturing and heavy industry than other areas in Fife, and is characterised by rural, agricultural and fishing industries, together with tourism in the East Neuk and St Andrews.

In the North East Fife area, local people identify the four major issues as the NHS/hospitals/healthcare, funding for public services, an increasing elderly population and education/schools. This is followed by issues relating to the local economy and access to housing (see Figure 1)

Figure 1 – Community perceptions of what is a major issue in the area (Fife People’s Panel, Survey 24, 2015)

POPULATION

73,405

9% DECREASE expected by 2036

778.1 SQ KM

56.5% of Area of Fife

20% of Fife’s population

AREA

CHILDREN OLDER PEOPLE WORKING AGE

10,461

11% DECREASE

expected by 2036

15,778

27% INCREASE

expected by 2036

47,166

21% DECREASE

expected by 2036

HOUSEHOLDS

34,015

79.4% with at least one car/van

68% owner occupied

14% social rented

11% private rented

30.6% live alone

10.6% children in poverty

6.7% in low income

27.5% in fuel poverty

£362 median weekly income (after housing)

ECONOMY

62.1% Economically active of which

54.5% Employed Full Time

18.4% Employed Part Time

MAIN EMPLOYMENT AREAS

30.7% Education & Health

17.4% Finance & Professional

15.4% Wholesale Retail & Transport

8.8% Public Sector

8.5% Accommodation & Food

WELFARE AND BENEFITS

0.5% JSA (16 to 24 year olds)

WELFARE REFORM CHANGES: EXPECTED LOSS TO LOCAL ECONOMY

£15.4 million per year

£324 per working age adult

1.0% Job Seekers Allowance

5.7% Employment deprivation

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4. Place

Place is an important element of Local Community Planning. Using the national Place Standard tool, local people were asked to consider aspects of the physical and social environment of where they live and to paint a picture of the place and what needs to improve.

Figure 2 – Community perceptions of where improvement is needed in the area using the Place Standard. The outer part of the diagram (score 7) means little room for improvement, while the inner part (score 1) represents most need for improvement (Fife People’s Panel, Survey 26, 2016)

People living in North East Fife identify less need for improvement compared with Fife as a whole in all areas except moving around and public transport.

The areas where people identified the least need for improvement were:

• Feeling safe, and

• Natural space

The areas where there was felt to most need for improvement were:

• Moving around, and

• Traffic and parking

The Place Standard facilitated sessions identified the following improvement areas:

Road safety – speeding, particularly on rural roads and in villages and among young drivers, is a major issue. More could be done to expand cycling and walkways and to make them safer, by increasing the number of off-road routes, which would also improve connectivity between towns and villages, for example, by utilising existing disused railway lines and other paths and rights of way.

Transport – public transport is considered to be too expensive, too infrequent, and its coverage and accessibility inadequate to cater for the needs of those in the area, particularly those people in rural communities.

Tourism and place promotion – more could be done to promote the North East Fife area as a tourist destination, and to co-ordinate what is already going on in the area, by better publicising events and building on existing resources, such as the coastal path, arts fairs and festivals.

Isolation and lack of amenities – there is a strong sense of isolation among different groups in the area, specifically among the young and older age groups, with poor access to facilities and activities, particularly in the rural towns and villages.

Housing – there is a lack of suitable housing across the area as a result of there being insufficient housing stock to meet demand. The housing stock that is available is unaffordable, either through purchase or due to high rents, and this is further compounded by high numbers of holiday homes and high levels of student occupancy.

Health and care provision – the area has a high proportion of elderly people, many of whom live in rural or remote areas, which can be problematic in accessing health and care services. Other groups, such as families with children, also struggle to access health and child care services.

Connectivity and community hubs – mobile phone networks and broadband coverage is poor in the more rural areas, and this affects people’s ability to access services and for businesses to operate effectively. Greater use of community hubs should be considered, for example, community high schools, in order to provide more integrated services, such as community spaces and libraries.

Businesses and employment – there is a lack of suitable business premises and business infrastructure (communications and transport) within the area, which leads to a lack of opportunities for jobs. Jobs that are available in the area are often low paid and seasonal, such as, caring, hospitality and agriculture.

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5. People

People are all different and simply looking at where they live only gives part of the picture.

Examining how well different groups of people are doing compared to others in the Area and

throughout Scotland allowed the following insights to be identified through a facilitated session.

Students are doing particularly well in North East Fife, and compared to students living elsewhere in

Scotland.

Rural residents, while doing well in the area, are not doing as well as rural residents living in other

parts of Scotland.

Those in the constrained city type are doing least well in North East Fife, but are doing better than

other similar types of people living elsewhere in Scotland.

Those living in urban areas of North East Fife are doing relatively well, including those in retirement.

Those living in less densely populated suburban areas are doing well in the area, but there is a

mixed picture in how different types of household are doing relative to similar households elsewhere

in Scotland.

Figure 3 – How different types of people are doing within the area (based on Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2012 and 2011 Census Output Area Classification)

The facilitated sessions identified the following issues:

Connectivity and transport

Connectivity and transport in the area is a problem, with a high proportion of two car households highlighting the propensity of personal car use and suggesting that local transport services may not be available. Rural residents are predominant, and transportation can create real problems, even if made affordable through bus passes, due to unavailability at the time they are needed. There are few travel alternatives other than by road in North East Fife, while poor digital and mobile connectivity is hampering business options and home working.

Work

The area is world famous for tourism. However, work in the hospitality sector is not widely seen as an attractive occupation, with low paid seasonal jobs being the norm. Links between high quality hotel staff and local schools is helping to expand the knowledge of the opportunities available. There are many small businesses in North East Fife. However, these suffer through the transient nature of the tourist population, with a boom and bust cycle creating a struggle in the winter. Poor transport links can prevent people from accessing available work, with care services unable to compete with other jobs where transport is not required (e.g. supermarkets, cleaners)

Social connection

There has been a shift in the way that people interact, with online communities playing a greater part in people’s lives, with some groups able to share information more easily. Communities tend to be unified by single issues, and will become active when people are passionate about that issue. However, some groups in the area are considered to be vocal but not necessarily representative of the wider community. House prices in the area and the high cost of living mean that it is commonplace for both partners in a household to be working in order to pay the mortgage, and are therefore not available to get involved in the community during the day.

Housing and hidden poverty

A lack of affordable social housing, high house prices, holiday homes and an affluent student population bring difficulties for local people who want to remain in the area to work or to be near family. Fuel poverty in rural areas has resulted in groups being established to help, but that are often unable to identify those who are in need. In an area which is seen as affluent, it can be difficult to identify those that are doing less well, as rural poverty is often hidden. Although the area may be attractive, people can be isolated in their homes and unable or unwilling to access services.

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6. Community

Insights into how communities are faring provide a critical input to considering local places. Through

facilitated sessions, the following issues were identified:

Volunteering and community involvement/empowerment – communities tend to come together where there is a common local issue to resolve, or a planning review where there is an opportunity to influence local plans. Short-term voluntary activities generally have the most success. However, sustaining this involvement over the longer term can be more problematic, for example, maintaining involvement beyond school years for parents involved in children’s activities.

Changing nature of communities – while there is a strong sense of a positive attitude and civic pride across the area, people are now much more mobile now in terms of where they work and socialise. This changes the traditional concept of “community”, and breaks down geographical boundaries. High proportions of second homes and student populations also reduce the closeness of the community and can change its nature and character. While small towns and villages may benefit from having a stronger identity and greater cohesion, they can also suffer from isolation and stigmatisation, and can be resistant to “incomers”.

Communication, support and accessibility – Communicating with the Council and other services should be easier for people, with clearer points of contact. The ways in which the Council communicates with people and organisations also needs to be more effective, using all forms of media to let people know what is going on in their area and how people can get help and support for community projects.

Community councils – there is good coverage of community councils across the area, with strong commitment and involvement, although there is a sense that they may not always be representative of the wider views of their communities.

Community engagement – should involve a wide range of methods to ensure that local people feel that they are being listened to, and in order to engage with all groups within the community.

Community facilities and organisations – the reduction in public sector services (schools, hospitals, colleges, etc.) will have implications for community cohesion within the area. The area does, however, have high levels of involvement in community trusts, although this often relies on a relatively small number of committed individuals.

Getting better at listening – the Council is seen as putting up barriers to activities that the local

community would like to see put in place, taking too long to make decisions, and not really listening to

the views of local people.

Figure 4 – Map showing relative ranking of neighbourhoods on Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2012)

82% “I belong to my local neighbourhood”

“I regularly stop and talk with people in my neighbourhood” 79%

81% “I would be willing to work with others to improve my neighbourhood”

“I have given unpaid help to a local community group in the last year” 20%

Fife People’s Panel, Survey 25, 2016

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7. Local Outcomes

Local community planning requires a good understanding of differences within and between neighbourhoods. The table below shows the overall pattern of outcomes for neighbourhoods in the area, and whether local neighbourhoods are improving over time. It identifies how different neighbourhoods within the area are faring in relation to key life outcomes. This includes key life outcomes across early years, older people, safer and stronger communities, health and wellbeing, employment and economy. The neighbourhoods with the poorest outcomes in the North East Fife Area are in Cupar Central, St Andrews Central and South East, and Tayport. Areas with better life outcomes include St Andrews North and Strathkinness, Balmullo and Gauldry and Dairsie, Ceres and Dunino.

Newburgh, Kettle and Ladybank, and Leuchars and Guardbridge are doing worse than expected when compared to similar neighbourhoods elsewhere in Scotland, whilst St Andrews is doing better than expected compared with other similar neighbourhoods.

Doing worse than expected

Doing better than expected

Figure 5 – How different neighbourhoods are doing on key life outcomes relative to other comparable areas (Improvement Service, Community Planning Outcomes Profile Tool 2016)

Neighbourhoods showing the least improvement in life outcomes include St Andrews South West, Newburgh, and Kettle and Ladybank. The greatest improvement in life outcomes is seen in Balmullo and Gauldry, St Andrews North and Strathkinness and Falkland and Freuchie. Newburgh, St Andrews South West, and Elie, Colinsburgh and Largoward have improved less than might have been expected when compared with other similar neighbourhoods, while St Andrews South East, St Monans and Pittenweem, and Balmullo and Gauldry have improved more than expected.

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8. Horizons

It is nearly impossible to predict the future. However, it is possible to identify challenges which are already on the horizon. Through a facilitated horizon scanning exercise a number of future considerations were identified for the Area:

Demography

Future pensioners are likely to be healthier for longer, presenting opportunities to tap into their knowledge/experience. There are concerns about the isolation of older people, particularly in rural areas, where family or support networks have moved away, and older peoples’ traditional housing needs may have to change in future. The transient nature of the population presents challenges with the “brain drain” effect of students coming to St Andrews but very rarely remaining in the area following graduation.

Environment

Difficulties with transport around and out of the area were highlighted; for example, it is easier to travel out of North East Fife to neighbouring cities as a commuter than it is to travel between certain villages, which leave some communities isolated. This is an issue for younger people who are unable to easily travel to colleges in Fife, for working age populations using public transport to fit shift patterns, and for elderly people who can struggle to access health care.

Economy

Tourism is seen as being vital to the area by bringing in money and employment, and the international reputation of St Andrews has the potential to spread these benefits to other areas of Fife. The popularity of the area as a location for secondary/holiday homes brings challenges in terms of community cohesion and decreased use of community facilities during the off season - making these vulnerable to closure. The University is seen as being an asset to the area, with University students being good for the wider economy.

Technology

Advances in technology could benefit the area through multi-platform engagement with services, and it was felt that younger people may be able to share their skills and help older people to use technology, possibly through links with schools. Improvement in mobile phone signals and broadband access is seen as vital to enabling flexible working in certain areas e.g. the East Neuk and Howe of Fife. Technology is seen as being vital for helping people to live in their homes for longer, but these benefits need to be balanced with the wellbeing benefits of human contact and support.

Organisational

Reduced public sector budgets will impact on the delivery of services, and better cross partner/service communication is required in order to reduce any duplication in services. There needs to be a shift away from a ‘dependency culture’ towards encouraging people to take more responsibility for them. Community empowerment could increase significantly in future years, but this needs to be sustainable through community capacity building.

4. Reforming Fife’s public services

4. Reforming Fife’s public services