The Community Empowerment Act, passed in July 2015, contains a requirement for Community Planning Partnerships to produce unique local outcome plans for communities that are experiencing particular disadvantage.

With this in mind, a ‘strategic framework’ has been designed to regenerate Stirling’s priority areas, which have been identified based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation. These include Cultenhove, Fallin, Raploch, Cornton, Cowie, Top of the Town, Hillpark and Plean.

Councillor Corrie McChord, communities and partnerships convenor, said: “Each area in Stirling has unique needs and priorities and we want to improve the areas which experience particular disadvantage. By empowering people within these communities we can improve the overall economic and cultural outcomes across the entire Stirling area.”

Council leader Johanna Boyd added: “I’m very pleased to see the council funding these local projects. Regenerating Stirling’s most in need communities to deliver positive social and economic outcomes is a key priority for Stirling Council and underpins Stirling’s Single Outcome Agreement. It is important that we recognise our most in need or deprived areas, to help our residents who live there.”

Work is already underway across Stirling to support these communities, however it is proposed that this ‘accelerated’ approach would be based around employment, positive destinations, tackling crime, good quality environment, infrastructure and health and well-being.

This will complement the work already underway on an employability strategy for Stirling and Council Officers will also continue to place emphasis on the geographic areas that need most intervention, support community-led regeneration and realise the economic potential of people and places through funding and other interventions.

In order to support this work, regeneration capital funding of £100,000 has been made available and an additional £20,000 contribution has been available to seed fund future activity in light of community empowerment legislation.

The funds will be used for projects across the identified areas, and will include improved job-seekers support, improved public internet access, improved health and wellbeing and enhancing shared green spaces:

• £10k to increase access to employment and job-seekers support in St Ninians

• £5k to improve public access to PCs and internet at St Ninians library for job-seekers and people affected by welfare reform and universal credit

• £30k to improve the welfare, health and wellbeing of the community in Raploch

• £5k to improve the physical environment of shared spaces in Raploch

• £5k towards St Mark’s Church and Raploch Community Partnership to develop green space behind houses to create sustainable and maintenance-free areas for children to play, not play parks

• £20k to support the regeneration of Cowie Main Street

@StirlingCouncil