The Community Plan for East Ayrshire, which is recognised as the sovereign planning document for the area, has been reviewed with new priorities set out including tackling poverty and supporting COVID recovery.

Over the last year, colleagues from across the East Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership participated in a review of the East Ayrshire Community Plan 2015-2030. This was the second three yearly review of the current Plan, which was undertaken within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recommendations from the review were considered and endorsed by the Community Planning Partnership Board at its meeting on June 10 and also by elected members at a meeting of Full Council last month.

For each three year period of the Community Plan, members of East Ayrshire Council and the CPP Board identify shared strategic priorities.

“With a clear focus on tackling poverty and inequality and supporting recovery and renewal in relation to COVID-19, the review identified two shared strategic priorities for 2021-24: the Ayrshire Growth Deal and the Caring for Ayrshire transformation programme.

Councillor Douglas Reid, Chair of the Community Planning Partnership Board said: “In the face of the pandemic, our communities and statutory partners have come together at the most local level to deliver the support needed; new ways of working have evolved; and our relationships strengthened as a result.

“This Community Plan review has afforded us an opportunity to take stock of these changes; to reaffirm our shared commitment to partnership working; and to update our strategic planning framework to ensure that we continue to be well placed to meet the significant challenges ahead.

“Together the Ayrshire Growth Deal and Caring for Ayrshire Programme represent a significant level of investment and transformation in the region.”