The Old Kilpatrick Community Council wants to engage the services of Community Links Scotland to support the preparation of a Community-led Local Place Plan.  The plan will be developed over the course of 6 months and will seek to identify the community’s aspirations and priorities as well as projects and developments which will form a community action plan.  The action plan will lead to real changes in the locations that the community identify as required and real investment in the area.

Through robust community engagement and activity, everyone in the Village will have an opportunity to contribute their ideas to the Place Plan.  The Community Council already has good relationships with community organisations such as scouts, the churches and the local schools and these relationships and others will be utilised to ensure the plan represents as many views as is possible.    

Milton Village Community Group was formed in July 2022. Our initial activities related to the Village Hall which we are custodians of following the demise of the previous hall group. We now run community activities and events from the Hall and have been able to create a focus for village community life. Our activities have been very well received and well attended. The young people of the community designed and painted a mural within the hall during the October holidays and we feel that a sense of community ownership of the hall and the surrounding area is growing within the community. 

We completed the initial stage application for the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme through Local Energy Scotland. We were successful in this application which then allowed us to make a request for an Energy efficiency assessment. This is now completed and we have the evidence advising of the changes that would enhance the operation of the building and importantly cut the energy costs which are currently curtailing the use of the hall. More importantly it has been agreed in principle that we will receive 75% of the costs from the Government's SME Loan Scheme with the group required to support the remaining 25% of the costs, we will use the grant to cover these costs. 

The Hall which sits within King George V Field which is the only field in trust in West Dunbartonshire and is maintained by the Council on behalf of the Village. Our activities and the offer we make to the community is hampered by the energy inefficiency of the Hall. We cannot open as often as we would like in the winter months due to the cost of energy and heating the Hall. The work we are proposing will reduce the carbon footprint of the hall (in terms of energy) by up to 72% and reduce our energy costs by a similar amount.  

The Gavinburn Primary Parent Council aims to strengthen ties between the school, the pupils and Old Kilpatrick community. Following discussions with the schools management team, one of our identified priorities this year is to improve the school grounds and the opportunities within.

We intend to install a variety of new playground equipment and markings to reengage the children in playground activities. Some of the markings we have chosen would also be beneficial for outdoor learning opportunities, however our main priority with this project is increasing physical activity at break times and after school clubs. This equipment and markings would also be available for the community clubs who make use of the school through LETS. This will happen on the playground behind the school building and along either side. It is our ambition to provide each age range of children a new playground experience and to increase physical activity for all. This will also help us to resocialise the children in the wake of the pandemic. 

Our plan is to add educational and fun playground activities for all children to enjoy, at present our equipment is out dated and no longer engaging enough for our currents needs within the school.  The equipment purchased will also be suitable for and used to support children with additional needs within the school.

When it will happen will be dependent on both when funding comes through and the availability of the providers but we would seek to do this at the first available school holiday period in order to ensure the works can be carried out safely and an exciting launch to the children.