Some of the Falkirk area’s most distressing problems – including rising suicides and high levels of drug deaths and domestic violence – are to be addressed in a new ten-year plan.
The Falkirk Plan – which was approved by councillors on Tuesday – pledges to work with partners such as the NHS and the Police to tackle the most pressing issues of deprivation and inequality that blight so many lives.
As part of the Community Planning Partnership, much of the work is already being done but the new plan, they say, will help to highlight priorities and pool resources more effectively between those involved.
Members heard that conversations have been held with communities across the district about where priorities should lie.
Many people taking part spoke out about how concerned they were about mental health – in particular for young people – with many talking about how their own families had been affected.
The figures show the scale of the crisis: Falkirk has the fifth highest suicide rate in Scotland – and since 2014 suicide rates have been reducing across Scotland but rising in Falkirk.
Waiting times for the CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service) have consistently been much worse in Forth Valley than the Scottish average – a problem that predates Covid.
The partnership has pledged to target resources to improve mental health services, so people have access to support as early as possible.
It will also invest in preventative support and develop a Forth Valley suicide and drug-related death prevention plan.
Councillors also heard that work is now well underway to establish new mental health services for young people, with a pot of funding from the Scottish Government that was announced last year.
Substance use also continues to be a key concern locally, with an estimated 1200 drug users aged 16-64 in Falkirk, based on the number of drug-related deaths.
Forth Valley also has the highest weekly alcohol consumption for all health boards in Scotland, and a higher percentage of adults exceeding weekly limits than Scotland as a whole.
There are now worries that the long isolation caused by the pandemic will have made this worse.
The conversations heard from families affected by substance use who reported frustration with local services – with poor communication between themselves and the service, and the services with one another.
The report states: “They feel as though services are not joined-up or consistent enough and it’s not always clear where to go for support.”
These families suggested more involvement of family members, and have asked that the partnership follow a ‘no wrong door’ approach when people are looking for help.
The problem, however, is a national one and the Scottish Government has allocated additional funds for substance use services to reduce drug-related deaths.
The Partnership is currently planning a suicide and drug-related death
prevention plan and has pledged to invest in preventative approaches.
There are also plans to expand the work with young people through the Social Influence Programme, which runs across several Forth Valley high schools.
After five years, there is now evidence of a positive year on year reduction in reported use of tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, and drunkenness
The plan will be implemented across three areas, splitting the district into east – including Bo’ness and Grangemouth the largest towns; west – including Denny and Dunipace; and central, including Bainsford and Langlees.
One of the most consistent messages that the team heard from communities was that the council has not been good enough at listening to and acting on what they have been told.
The Falkirk Plan aims to change that, they say. In particular, they aim to expand the new Community Choices initiative, which asks local groups to submit ideas for funding that will improve their local area, which are then voted on by communities.
The plan intends that this will be expanded and perhaps even involve others partners so that communities are much more involved in how public funds are spent.
Other things that were discussed often during engagement sessions were food and fuel poverty as the cost of living soar, and the affordability and accessibility of local transport.
While there was general support, some councillors admitted to a feeling of “deja vu” when faced with another plan that promises to tackle these deep-rooted issues.
Councillor Joan Coombes said she felt despondent as “all of these plans and all of these aspirations have been talked about for a long, long time and I don’t feel we’re any further forward”.
And some councillors also questioned whether the plan’s priorities were really the major concerns of communities.
Councillor Lorna Binnie asked why there was no mention of anti-social behaviour and Councillor Lynn Munro was concerned that there was too much in the report about areas the council has no influence over.
But the council’s chief executive, Kenneth Lawrie, said the community plan wasn’t just focused on the council’s role.
“This is the product of consultation and discussions with communities as well as research and data,” he said.
He said he was confident that this plan would lead to results, given “the commitment of partners and the engagement of communities”.
He added: “When I joined the council a few years ago, community planning felt like a bureaucratic exercise – but now it feels like there is a lot of energy and commitment around it.”
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