The North Berwick Coastal Area is a great place and by working together we can make it even better for everyone in our wide and diverse community. I believe we can achieve this because our Area Partnership is rich in passionate people who care deeply about their community and want everyone to experience the joy of being here.
North Berwick Coastal Area Partnership has launched its new Area Plan for 2019-2024 following extensive engagement with the community.
The plan sets out 9 key priorities within the themes of prosperous, community minded and fair to help ensure North Berwick Coastal remains a great place to live, to get around, to work and to visit. The Area Partnership brings people from across the community together to have their voices heard and to help influence decisions about the things that matter to them.
The Area Partnership has an annual delegated budget from East Lothian Council and has already delivered many successful projects in partnership with the Council.These have included funding for a family worker to help children get the best start in life, mental health work in schools to support young people to build their confidence and resilience. Activities to support older people and more accessible paths and ramps to encourage walking and cycling.
Priorities in the new Area Plan include making it easier for everyone to get around the area, with safe and fully accessible streets and pavements and encouraging and developing initiatives which reduce loneliness and isolation. A part-time worker, employed through Carers of East Lothian, has been appointed to develop social prescribing initiatives through the local GP practice, to help people to access local groups and services.
Chair of North Berwick Coastal Area Partnership, Hilary Smith said:
“The North Berwick Coastal Area is a great place and by working together we can make it even better for everyone in our wide and diverse community.I believe we can achieve this because our Area Partnership is rich in passionate people who care deeply about their community and want everyone to experience the joy of being here.
“Our Partnership’s primary aim is to address inequality across our communities. We have an expanding community which includes a relatively higher older population together with an increasing number of young families. We want to welcome and help integrate new residents and ensure our health and social services meet the needs of our growing community.
“We want to improve accessibility for all in our many public buildings and open spaces. We want to make it easier for people to walk and cycle and expand our path network to link our town and villages. We wish to ensure an inclusive community and find ways to address social isolation so that everyone has a sense of belonging. Although we recognise this is a very affluent area, the adverse effects of poverty are keenly felt. We wish to support those living on low incomes and will continue to raise awareness of the need for a range of affordable housing.
“We welcome a growing number of visitors to the area wishing to enjoy the traditional seaside facilities. The expanding programme of local, national and international events bring further prosperity to the area but can also add pressure on local services and facilities. We wish to retain and showcase our heritage and protect the environment for future generations.”
Download the North Berwick Area Coastal plan or you can pick up a copy at your local library or Community Centre.