Project/Action from Development Plan

Progress

Support actions to further develop childcare provision

• North Isles Childcare up and running although future of Shalder House unclear, tied up with sale of SHE housing.
• SE and Shetland Childcare Partnership working together to support childcare business start ups.
• Presently looking for funding for new equipment.

Research the viability of extending Nordalea Care Centre Unst to offer respite care for young people and/or disabled

• Issue being progressed by Care for Unst, with letters of support from Initiative at the Edge and Unst Community Council
• Reply received from Christine Ferguson Head of Community Care.

Work in partnership with NHS and NI community councils to ensure dental provision

• Yell and Unst Community Councils recently met with Mike Collins of SHB to raise issues of concern, primarily lack of provision.
• Possibility of use of Saxa Vord to be looked into again.
•  National recruitment issues citied as root of the problem.
• Temporary Dentist in the North Isles till Xmas 06.

Create a flexible and locally controlled NI accommodation strategy which will:-

• Identify accommodation for incoming workers & young people
• Identify land for potential builds

• Initiative at the Edge has completed research in Fetlar re land and housing issues.
• Hjaltland revisited Unst housing survey of 2001. Future housing needs in 2006 looking very similar.
• Hjaltland have identified need for housing in Cullivoe, Mid Yell and Burravoe. Land most readily available in Cullivoe.

Support the retention and extension of existing NI education facilities as necessary

• School rolls are 8 at Uyeasound Primary and 66 at Baltasound Junior High (8 nursery, 20 primary and 38 secondary); this compares to a roll of 76 at Baltasound in March 06 and 99 in July 05. Decline primarily due to RAF withdrawal.
• Four pupils at Fetlar Primary, with no future intake at present.
• Plans progressing for new Mid Yell school.
• SIC proposal to merge Baltasound and Mid Yell JHSs, on hold

Ensure local access to a range of adult learning opportunities to meet needs

Provide tutor training locally and develop more tutors

• Gie it a Go events held in Unst and Fetlar in May, to promote range of learning available.
• More North Isles evening classes this year (although not sure if all taken up) and new tutors recruited.
• Shetland College continue to provide a range of primarily IT based training from their base in Baltasound and have the capacity to deliver tutor training too.

Produce a North Isles newsletter which include a What’s On guide, local news and contacts (potential to develop a media skills course to compliment this)

• Newsletter produced and distributed to all North Isles households in April and August, next planned for March 07.

Organise Annual Gret Muckle event to update on I@TE progress

Encourage more NI social opportunities and organisations to work together in organising events

• Gret Muckle event to be held at the one year anniversary of “Development plan” launch, around April 07. Initiative at the Edge to organise.

Provide Public Sector access to I@E consultation results to inform future planning and development proposals

• Completed findings made available via Community Planning datashare site

Project/Action from Development Plan

Progress

Research pros and cons of fixed links on Bluemull and Yell sounds, including use of previous studies/consultations

• Any further studies/progress in relation to fixed links are now tied up with Shetland’s Transport Strategy. This strategy will identify the priorities.

Ensure NI transport needs are addressed through the developing Shetland Transport Strategy – to include ferry replacement programme monitoring and health care transport

• Shetland Transport Strategy due to be with Scottish Executive April 07. Shetland hopes to publish Dec 06. Transport partnership will take over responsibility for flights and ferries (by April 08).
• Ferry Division currently working on improving the presentation of timetables, making more use of interactive info boards at terminals. Recognise need to market ferry service and hope to address in future.

Create North Isles Waterfront Development Group to campaign for :-

• Uyeasound pier development breakwater and berthing facilities in Fetlar
• Extension of Mid Yell Pier and building of breakwater

• Initiative at the Edge Development Worker plans to organise a meeting of all North Isles water related groups later in the year.
• Need to ensure North Isles continues to be represented on the Shetland wide Marinas group (working on joint marketing with Orkney) and appropriate links are made back to the North Isles water based groups. Julie to investigate the possibility of meetings to be held in either the North Isles or Brae a central location.
• Mid Yell Waterfront Development Group are now Mid Yell Development group, with a wider remit, considering a renewable energy project.

Support the maintenance of SIC Roads & transport staff being employed locally

• There was a vacancy in the Unst Roads staff but happy to report this was filled.

Ensure effective disposal of RAF Saxa Vord

• MAM currently lease Saxa Vord from DE and have brought in a Site Manager who will be based there full time for the foreseeable future. DE hope to complete the sale to MAM very soon.
• During the summer MAM accommodated a team of archaeologists from the Viking Unst Project in the housing at Nordabrek and the main building at Saxa Vord was used to house the “Make Tourism Your Business” conference.
• MAM revealed their vision for Saxa Vord at the “Make Tourism Your Business” conference.
• Blackwoods developing their distillery plans and launched their latest product, “Muckle Flugga,” the same weekend as the tourism conference. They are keen to “over winter” this product at Saxa Vord and market it as an Unst product.

Project/Action from Development Plan

Progress

Set-up and run a Youth Exchange programme. Could have themes e.g. study indigenous industries in another area e.g. India, Norway

• A planned North Isles Youth clubs trip to an outdoor centre in Italy this summer has now happened very successfully. The groups have been successful in gaining funding and doing their own fundraising. Fetlar Youth Club had a trip to France at Easter.
• A Youth Enterprise project is under development. This is aimed at young people aged 18 – 40s who are either in business or want to be. Part of the project includes a visit to Norway to look at how they approach the development and education of entrepreneurs plus hosting a return visit on the same theme. High level of interest shown and it is hoped to have a wider programme of activities to encourage entrepreneurial activity, not focus it simply on the exchange element.
• No youth club in Unst at the moment. Position to be advertised shortly.

Set-up and run a fun training scheme to build confidence

• To a large extent covered by the projects mentioned above and below.

Set-up and run an odd job agency to create summer employment for students

• A “Youth Employment Scheme” to create short term p/t employment for 14+ youngsters is being explored, along with schools.

Project/Action from Development Plan

Progress

Explore the best structure for NI tourism development e.g. set up new company, establish sub group of Shetland Tourism Assoc or other

• There is currently just one North Isles rep on the Shetland Tourism Assoc.
• Unst Tourism group is encouraging more North Isles members to be active in the Shetland Tourism Assoc and work with Visit Shetland. They are considering disbanding Unst Tourism Group and have an EGM set for 23 Nov.

Create promotional DVD for use on ferries & elsewhere

• Ferries Division are keen to support idea of tourism info on ferries. Visit Shetland need to ensure the corporate image/brand and quality of information maintained. After much discussion, North Isles tourism leaflets and Shetland Visitor were made available on the ferries.
• Perhaps, the idea of a proper Tourist Info Point (endorsed by Visit Shetland) on board the ferries should be explored.

Develop NI Experience using trails/themes & joining up attractions

• Ideas about this, or similar were raised at the Tourism conference and need to be addressed through the action plan.
• IATE to take the lead, possibly to create a p/t post, to develop 2/3 leaflets on trails for summer 07.

Facilitate projects and business opportunities which provide new tourist accommodation, eating places and attractions. Lobby for additional facilities e.g. signposting, public toilets

• A tourism networking meeting took place in April, followed by,” Make Tourism Your Business” Conference on 30 Sept (230 participants).
• The event was well supported by a range of agencies, MAM and politicians and received excellent media coverage.
• Local feedback has also been very positive and there are a number of potential developments to follow up. An evaluation report and action plan will be completed and circulated by end October.
• A number of SE clients are planning tourism businesses.
• Evaluation currently underway, with a report ready by late Dec 06.

Project/Action from Development Plan

Progress

Undertake a NI business needs assessment to identify support required, barriers to development.

• Contact made with majority of North Isles businesses and areas where economic development agencies could assist identified. SE North Isles staff continue to be proactive in engaging with existing businesses and assisting where possible.

Develop a one-stop-shop for economic development, which includes local access to support for business start-ups

• Information resource available at SE North Isles office
• Regular meetings with SIC EDU & Shetland Development Trust to discuss potential projects.
• SE has a current case load of 46 clients in the North Isles.
• Visit in May by SDT to promote their role.

Research and pursue opportunities for inward investment, job dispersal (via Scottish Executive) and decentralisation (SIC, NHS )

• A job dispersal case for the North Isles has been developed and a meeting with the Small Units Initiative at the Scottish Executive has taken place. Regular updates with MSP on this issue.
• SIC have approved a new flexible working policy which would allow a greater degree of home/remote base working. Potential benefits for North Isles staff and will hopefully open up future SIC employment opportunities.
• A brochure promoting the North Isles as a place of choice for business has been produced and is being printed
• SE are working with HIE to identify possible inward investment opportunities for the North Isles

Develop new business infrastructure such as:

·         business start up units,

·         a food processing unit.

Encourage use of existing business start up units.

• SE is exploring options for serviced industrial sites at Uyeasound, to be completed at the same time as the new pier.
• North Isles Slaughterhouse feasibility study commissioned and report expected by end of Nov

Develop a NI graduate placement scheme and a local training scheme for non- graduates

• SIC and NAFC schemes in place but could be proactively promoted for next year; need to identify North Isles placement opportunities; also promote STEP scheme and find North Isles placements

• 1^st Steps into Business, 1^st Steps into Selling and 1^st Steps into Marketing and Promotion were delivered in the North Isles in June/July. Attendance was good and resulted in additional clients.
• More courses planned for 07.
• Updating of the North Isles Skills database undertaken last year is underway.
• Need for a workshop/training of self-employment has been identified and is being pursued.

Lobby for affordable high speed Broadband and mobile phone access for all areas of NI.

• Nothing to report

Project/Action from Development Plan

Progress

Set up NI renewable energy research centre and encourage production of all forms of renewable energy for local use and export

• Pure Energy Company established.
• North Yell Development Group progressing renewable energy project.
• Mid Yell group starting to look at renewable energy for Community use.

Set up information service and training in diversified forms of land-use

• A meeting in Uyeasound held jointly by Initiative at the Edge and the Crofters Commission focused on crofting regulations/info available via Initiative at the Edge
• A seminar on locally grown produce is planned for 2007.

Investigate Geoparks potential through community consultation

• North Isles consultation has taken place. The idea of obtaining Geopark status seemed to be favourably received.
• Initiative at the Edge continue to take part in steering group; Shetland application did not succeed 1^st time and is being revisited.
• Fetlar Interpretive Centre is developing a geopark related project.

Identify projects which would benefit from community land ownership and other aspects of new land legislation, and form and assist groups to achieve this

• An info evening on new land legislation took place in Uyeasound.
• A seminar on access and agri-environment schemes was held in Fetlar on 10^th April.
• Need to organise seminars in Unst and Yell.

Set up & develop community recycling facilities and environmental improvement projects. Work towards fulfilment of criteria for Neutral Waste Status.

• Initiative at the Edge produced info on all recycling points in the North Isles and this was then distributed within the North Isles Newsletter.

Set up group/s and support business to encourage local production, marketing , distribution of produce

• Nothing to report/may tie in with future seminar on crop production

Investigate land reorganisation options by consultation

• Fetlar land survey completed and report with Crofters Commission. The information gathered will be used to help improve land use in the area.