Town Infrastructure - Public offices and facilities should be convenient and effective
Access to a quality service from public offices and facilities are important to residents of the town.
INITIATIVES- Ideally council offices and services, including Blairvadoch, should be located to ensure easy access for all. That means more than just disability access. It includes convenience for those who do not have cars. While a ‘one-stop-shop’ is the ideal, the minimum requirement is for close proximity to public services in a central location. Considering schools and community education from the physical infrastructure point of view (as distinct from the nature of the services) these should also be conveniently located and suitably designed for future changes of use– e.g. growth of distance learning.
- Replacement of Hermitage Academy has generated much local debate and concern. In physical infrastructure terms, it is important that this is more than just a secondary school but should be a New Community School (in line with government policy). In particular that means both sharing sporting and other facilities, including storage, with all the community and ensuring that the design incorporates all the educational, recreation and leisure amenities needed by the community. The more the building is used during the day, the week and the year, the less likely it is to be vandalised. A fresh approach, introducing community involvement, is urgently needed for future developments.
- In terms of physical infrastructure, medical facilities should be convenient, both those locally situated and those which are
in the wider conurbation. The Vale of Leven Hospital needs to be retained and supported.
N.B. In the document, Initiatives that can be achieved fairly quickly are marked “-qw” (quickwin)
