The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Taskforce seeks ways to beat deprivation in city
Summit to look at social and economic needs
A new taskforce will launch a fight against the “desperate deprivation” in Inverness at a summit in the city today.
Health experts, police and fire chiefs, council bosses, business brains and academics and charity workers will come together to try to stop poorer communities being left behind.
As Inverness continues to enjoy an apparent boom with thousands of new homes and City Deal money trickling down, areas like Merkinch still figure in lists of the most deprived areas in Scotland. Record numbers of people are seeking advice to cope with spiralling debt.
Today, Highland Council will host two separate gatherings – at regional and city level – to formulate plans that have been incubating since “community partnerships” were created in 2002.
Council leaders will be joined by charities, voluntary groups, the NHS, police and fire services, academics from the University of the Highlands and Islands and the development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise for the group’s first public meeting. Hilton-born city councillor Graham Ross, chairman of the fledgling Inverness Community Partnership, cited universal credit as doing “more damage than good”, and pointed to a growing demand on food banks as driving forces for the mission. He said: “We’ve got to reverse that downward trend if we possibly can.
“I would hope by working together that we don’t work in silos and work to co-ordinate action that will actually make a difference, locally. And, rather than doing things piecemeal, we’ll have co-ordinated plans.
“I’m confident that money utilised from all the various services will make a substantial difference to the lives of people in the city, especially those in most need.
“We’ll specifically target areas of deprivation – which means Merkinch, Raigmore and Hilton. The plans will develop across the city, thereafter.
“If we can all work together, hopefully we can come up with a better plan and a better way to do things – more cost-effective.”
Mr Ross said members of the public were welcome to attend and raise questions.
The public element of today’s events is at Hilton Community Centre between 2pm and 4pm.
Prior to that gathering, a region-wide group of the district partners will meet to fine-tune its proposals.
NHS Highland chairman David Alston, who heads that planning board, is equally optimistic of improving the lives of those most in need.
He said: “A lot was achieved with our earlier community planning but what was really missing from that was the ‘community’ bit – it probably had the wrong name to begin with.”