News from City of Dunfermline Area Committee

The City of Dunfermline Area Committee met this morning (Tuesday 20 august 2024). Here's a summary of the discussion and decisions.

Dunfermline tourism action plan

Following its award of City status, Fife Council's tourism team has been working to enhance Dunfermline's appeal to visitors. They are doing this by focusing on increasing visitor numbers, extending their stays, and boosting local business.

Recent reports show that Dunfermline's tourism sector has rebounded strongly from the pandemic. In 2023, the City welcomed 956,660 visitors, generating an impressive £124.1 million in economic value and supporting 1,373 full-time jobs. These figures slightly surpass pre-COVID levels, signalling a bright future for the city's tourism industry.

To build on this momentum, Fife Council commissioned Business Tourism Solutions Ltd to conduct a comprehensive tourism evaluation. This evaluation resulted in the City of Dunfermline Tourism Action Plan, published in October 2023. The plan outlines a strategic approach to positioning Dunfermline as a leading city break destination, with a focus on four key themes:

  1. Pride of Place 
  2. Dunfermline Experience
  3. City Competitiveness
  4. Industry Innovation 

Here’s a summary of the key actions from the plan:

Catalyst projects

  • Pittencrieff Park and City Square: Design work is underway, with funding efforts ongoing to move these projects into the delivery phase.
  • St Margaret’s House: Repairs have been completed, and further development is planned, supported by a cultural project funding bid.

Enhancing the visitor experience:

  • An accessibility toolkit has been created following a successful visit by an accessibility blogger, enhancing Dunfermline’s reputation as an inclusive destination.
  • Collaborative efforts among local businesses have led to the development of new visitor itineraries, highlighting the City’s rich heritage and cultural offerings.

City competitiveness:

  • A comprehensive marketing campaign launched in Winter 2023/24 reached over 1.6 million people, generating significant interest in Dunfermline as a travel destination.
  • Efforts to attract travel media and influencers have been successful, with more promotional visits planned for later in 2024.

City of Dunfermline Convener, Cllr James Calder welcomed the update and said: “Dunfermline becoming a city offers an incredible opportunity to showcase all it has to offer. This Tourism Action Plan is a roadmap to making Dunfermline a top choice for city breaks in Scotland.”

Free bus travel 

The City of Dunfermline Area Committee agreed to contribute their share of the devolved parking initiatives budget - £18,000 to fund free bus travel in the city on a few days in 2024/25.

This will:

  • encourage people to travel in the city using sustainable public transport,
  • support households that don’t have a car, and
  • help reduce carbon emissions.

Cllr James Calder said: “Using this budget for free bus travel will encourage more people to take environmentally friendly travel in Dunfermline instead of using the car. This also makes sure those who don’t have a car also benefit.

“We learned from last year that Saturdays are the most attractive free travel day and take up is more likely in December with the attraction of Christmas shopping and city festivities.”

Officers will work with councillors to agree the free bus travel days for 2024/25 and we’ll confirm these dates in the next few weeks.

Budget Requests

Local Community Planning Budget 

The following projects have been awarded funding from the Local Community Planning Budget.

Touch and Garvock Out of School Club - £14,654
Committee agreed to contribute towards the set-up of a new out of school club covering Touch and Garvock. Local charity, Touch Trust will run the out of school club from St Margaret’s Community Church at Abel Place, Dunfermline.

Cllr Calder stated: “This new out of school club will fill a gap in childcare provision in the area and will be a lifeline for local families. 
"After the closure of the previous provision we're pleased that a new group are stepping in. This will be a relief to the local community and due to the urgency of getting the funds in place it is important that as a Council we can provide this support.”

Touch Community Forum - £10,000 (Anti-poverty budget)
An award of £10,000 was agreed by committee to Touch Community Forum to build on the community initiatives already underway and support new initiatives within the Touch Local Action Plan.

Community Recovery Fund

One step at a time - £5,830

From the Community Recovery Fund, councillors agreed to fund a series of Lego Walk workshops based across all Primary Schools in the City of Dunfermline. The workshops are aimed at P7 pupils, building their confidence before moving to high school.

Cllr Calder explained about the Community Recovery Fund: “This fund gives us a great opportunity to invest in projects, community groups and organisations that will help Dunfermline continue to recover from the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis.  
“We want to build on the great things already happening in our area, making sure our new city becomes a thriving place, where there are opportunities for everyone.”