A new report has hit back at a bid by Labour and Conservative councillors to block a wellbeing cafe in Kilmarnock’s Howard Park.
East Ayrshire Council’s depute chief executive Katie Kelly’s report to the governance and scrutiny committee this Thursday follows a call in of the community asset transfer of the Old Men’s Cabin at cabinet last month.
Kilmarnock Station Railway Heritage Trust (KSRHT) plans to turn the dilapidated Victorian building into a wellbeing cafe, with rooms for counselling people with low to moderate mental health issues.
Claims that the cafe would bring ex-offenders and severely-addicted drug users to the park were made by an anonymous campaigner.
The transfer decision was called in by Labour councillors Maureen McKay, Barry Douglas and Linda Holland, along with Conservative councillors James Adams and John McFadzean.
Both parties had indicated their opposition at the cabinet meeting.
They say cabinet ‘failed to address the concerns expressed by the local community against this asset transfer, introducing unnecessary jeopardy to the success of the project and its harmonious integration into the local community’.
Ms Kelly’s 10-page report states that the community asset transfer process was carried out correctly, and provides rebuttals to some of the suggested misinformation circulated by objectors.
She said that there was ‘little evidence’ that concerns are accurate.
Instead, she said, objections tend to be based on stigmatised views on mental wellbeing or don’t relate to the client group which would engage with the services.
Claims that the café would increase anti-social behaviour were dismissed by senior professionals, she said.
The report continues: “Throughout the consultation period, both the Kilmarnock Station Railway Heritage Trust and East Ayrshire Council have made every effort to address concerns raised by residents.
“Each of the objections were outlined in the documents and correspondence showing that the concerns raised were either incorrect or inaccurate.
“Where residents had made contact by telephone, letter or through elected members these were responded to timeously and concerns dealt with.”
Ms Kelly added that the council had to push back on ‘discriminatory objections’ and the ‘stigmatised view that those with mental wellbeing issues are dangerous’.
The report also states that the lease of the building could have conditions that would prevent any change in purpose agreed by councillors.
The council’s chief auditor also backed the asset transfer process.
Around a third of the objectors claimed that the facility would be used by those with addictions or rehabilitation of ex-offenders.
The report states that this was ‘a direct reference’ to the misinformation campaign.
It points out that addicts would not be referred to the facility as they would be deemed to have ‘complex’ rather than low to moderate issues.
Ms Kelly continues: “There is a significant stigma which indicates that people with mental wellbeing issues are more likely to be violent.”
She added that there is ‘no indication’ that violence arises in low to moderate cases, arguing that it is ‘a common stigma which actually stops people disclosing their issues and receiving early intervention to aid their mental wellbeing’.
Similarly, the argument that Howard Park is ‘not the right place’ was also addressed.
The report states: “Evidence suggests that there is positive mental wellbeing aspects for people attending the site in a park area and that there is a potential positive societal change in relation to stigma and discrimination within the wider community.”
It added that the number of objections amounted to 1.4 per cent on the Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse Ward and 0.5 per cent of the town as a whole.
The governance and scrutiny committee will consider the call-in on Thursday, March 2. If the committee agrees with the call-in, it will be sent back to cabinet.
If cabinet maintains its decision, the matter will go to full council. Should the transfer be rejected, the trust have indicated they would appeal to the Scottish Government.
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