Place Based Framework approved for Future Highlands

11th December 2021

Highland Councillors a their meeting held on 10 December 2021 have approved a new way of working aiming to improve how the Council works with individual communities to address their needs.

A framework has been written up for the new "place-based" approach as a way of bringing ideas about services, investments, resources, and assets together.

That means service providers and community members will be working alongside each other and developing new and helpful responses to local needs together.

The Council is working towards partnering-up with communities in order to co-produce and co-deliver clear visions that set out the unique needs of people living in those places.

Leader of The Highland Council, Cllr Margaret Davidson said: "The Place Based Approach set out today will hopefully enable the Council and its partners to deliver a sustainable and positive future for Highland with localism and local communities fully invested, engaged and supportive of our ambitions for the region."

Depute Leader, Cllr Alasdair Christie added: "It is vital that our partners and communities are connected and engaged in working together to achieve a brighter future for Highland that will meet the needs of local people. This Place Based Framework is a major step towards facilitating and achieving our shared goals."

The Future Highlands strategy is intended to take a partnership approach to capitalise on the unique opportunities and natural assets available in the Highlands relating to green energy, tourism, workforce, innovation, science, and skills. By working together with partners, Highland will have the best possible advantage to stimulate economic recovery and growth which will revitalise and sustain Highland communities and towns into the future.

The Place Based Framework will underpin the future approach to Council service planning and delivery and area reviews. Council Officers will seek community planning partners' adoption of the Place Based approach transforming how organisations work together with local communities.

This is currently being adopted to lead on economic recovery, connectivity, and visitor management.

Where place-based approaches have already started within community, the local authority will be looking to join the process.

For example, the Council has already engaged with Sutherland's NorthWest2045 group in Sutherland in this way.
It is hoped the partnership - which includes joint-working on a Regional Land Use Partnership pilot - will attract funding and support for the group to help it meets its aims.
The partnership is made up of a dozen different groups, including the Assynt Development, Scottish Wildlife, and John Muir Trust, as well as the Scourie Community Development, the North West Highlands Geopark, and Anders Holch Povlsen's Wildland empire.
The Council is also taking a place-based approach for Lochaber and Fort William, and Skye and Raasay.
In September, following consultation with Skye and Raasay, the Council and the communities co-produced and co-delivered a clear vision with key actions for the area.
The vision, called Skye and Raasay Future, lists scores of projects at varying stages of delivery, which require funding and/or support to get off the ground.

The full report approved by councillors can be viewed at this link:

https://www.highland.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/79296/10_future_highlands_strategic_partnership_priority_4_-_place_based_planning_and_investment_in_communities