Hansard

I begin by congratulating Fife partnership on the bold decision to set up the fairer Fife commission. The commission was set up as an independent body with membership from across the public, private and third sectors and with support from a secretariat that comprised officers from Fife Council and from Carnegie UK Trust. I welcome the fact that the commission was established to provide a strategic overview of the scale, scope and nature of poverty in Fife and of the effectiveness of activity that is currently undertaken to address such poverty.

The commission was asked to report to Fife Council and Fife partnership by November 2015, and my motion acknowledges the significant contribution that I believe that its report will make to the on-going efforts to reduce inequality in Fife. I thank all the commissioners from the public, private and third sectors who gave up their time and energy to fulfil the brief that Fife partnership set out. The report is enriched by evidence from a wide range of witnesses and by the testimonies of community organisations from across Fife. We have a report that combines data with lived experience, which makes the recommendations all the more powerful.

I attended the launch of the report last November at the Cottage Family Centre in Kirkcaldy. The centre was originally developed by a group of local parents and established in 1987. Its purpose is to provide a family centre that serves Kirkcaldy and caters for the needs of families with pre-school children. The centre adopts a community development approach that puts the needs and aspirations of families and children at the centre of its service development and delivery, and it encourages their participation in the management and development of the centre. The centre embodies the ethos and culture that the report calls for and, along with six other organisations, it hosted visits by the commission and supported its service users to give personal testimonies to inform the commission’s work.

It is true to say that fairness is a broad umbrella that encompasses subjective and objective concepts. Fairness can mean different things to different people. The commission defined a fairer Fife as

“a Fife where all residents have the capability to live good lives, make choices and reach their full potential and where all children are safe, happy and healthy”.

Poverty and inequality are huge barriers to Fife achieving that vision, but poverty and inequality are not inevitable. They are created by the collective actions of society and can be reduced by the same process. The commission’s analysis states that

“ever widening inequality is neither natural nor intractable.”

As such, it is important to recognise the scope and ambition of the fairer Fife commission report in addressing this important issue.

“Fairness Matters” may be a report that is specific to Fife, but the messages in it are pertinent to all areas of Scotland and will resonate with many. Indeed, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is a strong advocate of the argument that inequality is both a moral issue and a severe drag on a society’s economic performance. Although the report concerns Fife, it has value across Scotland, for it provides a route map for new ways in which public, private and third sector organisations can work alongside communities to reduce inequality.

I highlight that the report recognises the work that Fife has been doing to tackle the issues. It states:

“There is no doubt that Fife has hugely capable, knowledgeable and committed people working in all sectors.”

However, along with all communities across Scotland, Fife has no room for complacency, especially with the hard financial choices that now face councils in Scotland, so we must ensure that resources are targeted in order to develop person-centred and sustainable solutions. That will require more partnership working, co-location of services and a willingness to reach out to where people are rather than expecting them to come to us, so I am heartened that the commission’s approach to tackling poverty and inequality is truly citizen focused and puts community at its centre.

That inclusive approach can result in evidence that leads to solutions rather than in simply recognising the scale of the problem. It is the difference between data and knowledge, and more knowledge leads to better decisions.

The report includes recommendations that reflect the local perspective. For example, why not replicate the principles of the city deal concept with a Fife towns deal that would provide support to local geographies, have a free travel card for those who are seeking work or who have recently gained employment, or make a non-commercial broadband tariff available for social housing tenants? The report includes numerous such recommendations, which are rooted in local people’s lived experiences. The challenge will be to make them happen and to develop a “why not?” culture that releases the latent energy in organisations and communities.

I have seen for myself, through my work and political experience, that putting communities at the heart of decision making hugely increases the quality of decisions that are made and the likelihood that they will have a positive impact. I am therefore confident that the report’s recommendations—there are 40, which are gathered into eight groups under the headings “Ambitious”, “Poverty-free”, “Fair Work”, “Affordable”, “Connected”, “Empowered”, “Skilled” and “Healthier”—are relevant, have realistic timescales and targets and will reduce levels of poverty and inequality.

The big message that comes out of the report is the emphasis on maintaining a citizen focus, working together, being ambitious and achieving improved long-term outcomes for people, rather than just improvements in process or inputs. When the action plan that follows the report’s recommendations is published, I am sure that strategic partners will work together alongside communities to ensure that beneficial change is made.

I am pleased that the initial focus will be on supporting new ways of working and attempting to drive the cultural shift that will be necessary to create the fairer Fife to which the report aspires. I hope that Fife partnership will fully explore the more innovative recommendations.

Community action will be at the heart of making change. The report says:

“Top down imposed change will no longer be effective. Fife Council and the community planning partnership ... have an important leadership and convening role, but change requires action from everyone living, employing, doing business and working in Fife.”

I welcome that assertion, and I hope that the report will start a conversation in Fife between all sectors of our community and inspire a drive for change that is led for and delivered by the community.

The fairer Fife commission report tackles an extremely serious matter in our society. The Parliament must welcome any attempt to address the problem, and we must seriously consider all recommendations about how to lessen what is a great unfairness in our country.

I am pleased that my motion has been recognised with cross-party support. Only by working together to address the concerns that affect people in their daily lives can we build a better future.