AGM - 30th April - The Windlestrae Hotel, Kinross - 7pm. Please let Sandra Ralston know if you plan to attend - mail@kinrosspartnership.org.uk or 07774 181 768

The Kinross-shire Partnership is a rural development company established in 1998 under the direction of the Scottish Government and funded by Perth & Kinross Council. Membership of the Partnership comprises a mix of local business people, PKC Ward councillors and community representatives. From time to time specialists are co-opted to assist with projects and initiatives.

The principal aims of the Partnership are to identify, promote and encourage opportunities for:-

• Economic development
• Tourism
• Environmental improvement
• Community Recreation

The Partnership also provides support for community groups and organisations.

Current initiatives include...

Economic Development

An economic forum was established in 2010 to explore ideas for stimulating economic growth. Recognising that 99% of businesses in the area are small/micro enterprises the Partnership has responded to a need for networking and collaboration opportunities amongst this group. A series of Business Breakfasts are being run at which all enterprises in attendance have an opportunity to feature their sales proposition. A recently appointed PKC business advisor for the area has been co-opted onto the Partnership board.

Tourism

A tourism forum operates as an independent sub-committee of the Kinross-shire Partnership with the chairman and secretary being directors of the Partnership board. Membership of the tourism forum is drawn from local tourism related business operators supported by RSPB, Historic Scotland, SNH, Visit Scotland, and Scottish Enterprise. With financial assistance from PKC, the Partnership is sponsoring the creation of a website 'Discover Loch Leven' www.visitlochleven.org which aims to help the forum attract additional and longer stay visitors to the many activities and attractions of the area. Also see facebook.com/visitlochleven and twitter.com/visitlochleven.

Environmental Improvement

Like many other towns across the nation, the former centre of Kinross has been suffering long term decline as a result of the rise of out of town retail parks. In addition civic buildings have been vacated and currently lie empty. The recent creation of Loch Leven Community Campus has provided a marvellous new facility for the community but has exacerbated the town centre dereliction problem due to the closure of the former High School. The iconic County Building is the latest casualty of these forces. In response to these pressures the Partnership is working collaboratively with Kinross Community Council and PKC to work up long term sustainable regeneration proposals through a Townscape Heritage Initiative and specific proposals for the County Building.

Community Recreation

In partnership with the Kinross Community Council the Partnership administers a community web site: www.kinross.cc. This website has been extensively developed over many years to comprise a massive database of information relating to everything to see and do in the area. www.kinross.cc also provides classified advertising space.

Thanks to generous financial assistance from the Kinross-shire Fund, a street sports arena was purchased and is made available to youth groups under the auspices of PKC Youth Services.

The Loch Leven Heritage Trail has been a resounding success with locals and visitors alike. To enable access for all, the Partnership has established a free Trail Scooter scheme so that those with impaired mobility can fully explore and enjoy all the natural beauty the trail has to offer. Funding for this has been provided by PKC, The Kinross-shire Fund, The Arthur & Margaret Thompson Trust and Thomas Findlay Holdings Ltd. Perth Shopmobility volunteers maintain the fleet of 8 scooters.

Support for community groups and organisations

The Partnership established the 'Better Place to Live Fair' which has over the years attracted many locals to view and discuss exhibitions from numerous local charities and businesses. Following the establishment by PKC of a Learning and Development team (now located in the Community Campus), the Partnership passed on the funding, organisation and running of the event to the Community Capacity Building Team, the senior worker of which is co-opted to the Partnership board.

The board as at January 2013:

Directors

• Alisdair Stewart - Chairman
• John Cassells
• Fiona Craigon
• Euan Ferguson
• Eddie Henderson
• Steve Ireland
• Sandra Ralston
• Pauline Watson

PKC Ward Councillors - Ex Officio Members

• Dave Cuthbert
• Michael Barnacle
• Joe Giacopazzi
• Willie Robertson

Co-opted Members

• Peter Porteous
• Sandy McCurdy
• Tracey Ramsay

Administration

• John Cassells - Company Secretary
• Kirsty Cassells - Financial Administrator
• Helen Manzie - Funding Administrator
• Sandra Ralston - Administrator