Newton Dee Village Community
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-1204, in the name of David Davidson, on the Newton Dee village community. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the huge investment in, and the excellent and unique work accomplished at, the Newton Dee Village Community since 1940 and also at the 11 other centres of the Camphill Village Trust through the provision of fulfilling work opportunities and homes for adults with learning disabilities; commends the pioneering health care provision available to residents and the local community; recognises the impact this has on the development of wide-ranging interests and participation in cultural and social activities, and believes that everything possible should be done to allow the community to continue undisturbed and to develop over future years.
This debate is about the Camphill community at Newton Dee on the outskirts of Aberdeen, which is a unique community catering for all forms of learning disability. I am especially pleased to welcome Dr Stefan Geider and some of the residents at Camphill to the gallery this evening.
The community is part of a worldwide movement to provide opportunities for people of all ages who are in need of special care. More than 90 Camphill centres exist in 21 countries; just over half of the centres are in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Camphill name comes from Camphill House, which is on the north side of the River Dee at Milltimber, just outside Aberdeen. The original base was established there in 1939 when Dr Karl König and his colleagues found refuge in Aberdeen, having escaped from the Nazi regime in Germany. In 1940, Dr König and his colleagues established a school community for children who were in need of special care. The facility followed the principles that had been proposed by the philosopher Rudolf Steiner. The central principle was a community life based on Christian ideals of mutual care and respect.
Dr König began providing education for children with learning disabilities and the Camphill Rudolf Steiner schools, as they became known, soon outgrew Camphill House and expanded into the nearby Myrtle estate. The Newton Dee facility became part of the schools in 1945 and, until 1960, helped to meet the needs of challenging adolescents. In the meantime, other centres had been established across England and Ireland. The Camphill Village Trust was set up in 1954 by Dr König and was based at Burton in Yorkshire.
Newton Dee, which became part of the Camphill Village Trust in 1960, caters specifically for adults with special needs. Approximately 200 residents are based at Newton Dee, half of whom are co-workers or helpers who live at the centre along with their families. Newton Dee also provides day care for adults and children who live in the Aberdeen area and the north-east.
The medical practice that is based on the estate provides a full range of national health service services to the local community, along with the intensive specialist care that is required by the adults and children who are present in the community. The NHS practice has a patient list of more than 1,000 and provides, in addition to the basic NHS treatments, a range of complementary therapies. In 1999, the practice won an innovative practice award from the Royal College of General Practitioners for its integrated and radical approach to primary care.
The residents live in a range of houses that are scattered across the estate. The houses range in scale from larger ones that provide a home in an extended family setting to houses that are set up to care specifically for those who are older and in need of a more tranquil setting that offers less involvement in the activities of community life. Residents who can cope with a more independent lifestyle may live in a house or flat share with others or even in a bedsit that is attached to a household. Support workers are always on hand to provide whatever assistance is needed.
Like many others in the north-east, I received a lot of letters from families who have family members staying at Newton Dee and from those who send their children to the centre on a day-care basis. When I visited the site some weeks ago, I was extremely impressed by all the activity that was going on and by the humour and contentedness that seemed to radiate from all the residents and more generally across the site. I found a general air of tranquillity in the rural 180 acres. Although the North Deeside Road, which is quite a busy road, passes to the northern side of the site, it tends not to encroach on the residents or the facilities that are scattered throughout the estate.
The day-to-day costs of running the community are covered by the residential and placement fees that are paid by local authorities and through Department for Work and Pensions benefits. The community runs a cafe, which, in tandem with its shops, farm, garden and workshops, provides income for the community wherever possible. Large projects and capital developments are often financed by general fundraising activity and are carried out centrally by the trust, although Newton Dee also raises funds for specific purposes. The capital asset of the community at Newton Dee is around £15 million.
Residents are occupied in staffing the cafe, the gift shop and the food store and in working on the farm and in the gardens. Wherever possible, the community's produce is organic. The bakery, which is very busy, produces bread, cakes and so on; again, wherever possible, the ingredients that are used are as near to organic as possible. The bakery supplies the cafe and the households on the estate and, through its shop outlet, its products are on sale to anybody.
The community tries to be self-sufficient. Its craft workshops produce quality items in metal and wood that are distributed and sold worldwide through the Camphill products company. There is also a toy shop and a joinery shop. In all cases, training is provided in basic skills and in the use of machinery. The physical activity that is involved in tending stock and in cultivation and harvesting provides a much-needed level of outdoor physical work. The estate, which is obviously well maintained, is managed and looked after by the residents.
The community employs a number of people with the skills that are needed to run the workshops and assist with administration. As I said, many of the helpers live on the estate along with their families as part of the community. Recently, a care commission report gave flying colours to Camphill. There is no issue about the quality of care.
On behalf of the trust, I invite both of the ministers with responsibility for health to visit Newton Dee when they are next in the north-east. I invite them to see for themselves, at first hand, how this innovative and creative community offers high-quality care and life for many who are disadvantaged by learning disability.
Why have I brought the debate to the chamber? First, I have done so in order for the Parliament to come to understand that this alternative form of residential support is very effective. People from all over the United Kingdom are resident at Newton Dee, yet the centre receives no direct funding from the Scottish Executive. Obviously, it is important that members in the chamber recognise the independence and self-sufficiency, where possible, of the community.
The minister knows that, in the first session of the Parliament, I and others campaigned vigorously for the Aberdeen western peripheral route. I have not changed my view on the strategic importance of that road, but when it comes down to the fine print, we see that the road presents a threat to the community. This busy dual carriageway might be driven through the centre of the 180 acres, which would not only use up some of the farm land but shatter the peace and tranquillity that is essential for the many fragile people who live in the community. The road would also divide the community in two, separating the school and the residential facilities, which would make it difficult to pass between them. Certain medical conditions encourage residents to be very inquisitive, and that no doubt will attract them to the noise and moving vehicles, which could cause some risk. Others will just not be able to cope with the noise.
Recently, I met officers of Aberdeenshire Council and Aberdeen City Council, which are members of the partnership that is seeking to develop the western peripheral route. Although I have been assured by them that accommodation will be found for a slight route change of the dual carriageway to preserve Newton Dee, I have not yet received that confirmation in writing.
It would be an absolute disaster to ruin what has been developed over the past 60 years by the Camphill Village Trust. Equally, the trust does not wish to impede the development for strategic purposes of the western peripheral route. The trust, I and others are seeking a compromise, whereby we can have the best of both worlds by having the western peripheral route—albeit on a slightly altered line, not through the middle of Newton Dee—while preserving the facility in its current form. On the southern side of the River Dee there is some debate about which side of the listed Blairs college complex the route will run on, so the issue is not just Newton Dee. There is flexibility in the planning process for this essential road.
We need to recognise that Newton Dee is a unique facility that has proven its success over the years. The community is self-sufficient. It offers many opportunities for friendship and social interaction, and provides cultural and spiritual inspiration for many people. It allows those who are disadvantaged to live in a community that offers them the equivalent of a family, while receiving the full care and support that is needed for their conditions. It is essential that we look after developments such as Newton Dee, because of the quality of care that is provided. I seek recognition by this Parliament of the fantastic role that the Camphill Village Trust has played over the years. I hope that ministers will be involved in the project.
I congratulate Mr Davidson on bringing this debate before Parliament. He gave us a significant part of the history of Camphill and Newton Dee, for which I am grateful. The reason for his bringing the issue before us today is to highlight not just the quality of the work that is done at Newton Dee, but the community's concerns about the development of the western peripheral route.
I have always been a supporter of the western peripheral route, and I agree with the general line that has been agreed to and which has been in place for many years. However, I recognise that the community has genuine concerns. For that reason, following representations by constituents, I agreed to visit the site and found, exactly as Mr Davidson did, that it is a well-run facility that offers a different range of treatments for and approaches to disability than one might find in the generality of the NHS or the community. The facility is to be commended for that.
In my discussions with community representatives, they were concerned about three things in relation to the road. One source of concern was the noise and disturbance that might occur around the time of construction, which undoubtedly will take many months, if not a couple of years. They were also concerned about on-going noise and the safety aspect of moving people from the school to the medical practice in Newton Dee village. As a consequence, I wrote to those who are preparing the plans to ask what additional costs might be involved in taking a cut-and-cover approach to the road, which would mean cutting a trench and covering it over to minimise the noise post construction. I also asked about the possibility of tunnelling, and whether there were technical solutions that would enable safe passage between the two sites for the 40 or so youngsters who are at Camphill Rudolph Steiner School, some of whom can travel independently without an escort. Like Mr Davidson, I have not yet had a detailed response from the engineers.
The ministers will have to make a difficult decision about the interests of a relatively small community and the greater interests of the wider community. Those two sets of interests should not be incompatible, but difficult decisions will have to be made about how much to spend to minimise the disturbance and to maximise the health and safety aspects, both in the construction phase and post construction. I do not envy the ministers the decisions that they will have to make, but I hope that, within the existing defined corridor, which was agreed following wide consultation, we can find a solution that will minimise disturbance to the residents of the Camphill centre at Newton Dee.
I congratulate David Davidson on securing the debate, which has raised important issues and concerns. I associate myself with his remarks and with those of Brian Adam. I am sure that the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care will confirm the Executive's support for the excellent facility at Newton Dee for 200 vulnerable people and their carers.
As has been said, the real issue that we are discussing centres on transport and the construction of the western peripheral route, which is why I am pleased that the Minister for Transport is here to listen to the debate. The people who run the centre at Newton Dee are concerned about the impact that the construction of the route will have on the community, as are the carers and families and those who benefit from the centre and from all the excellent resources and facilities, which have been referred to and outlined eloquently. Those concerns must be taken seriously, because we are talking about a facility that caters for some of the most vulnerable people in our society in the north-east.
I am sure that a peaceful environment is of huge benefit to the community at Newton Dee. However, as others have said, we must strike a balance between the benefits to the community of that environment and the benefits of the western peripheral route, which will be an important strategic, economic and transport benefit for the north-east. I do not want a delay in the construction of the route, but within the present timescale, there must be time for the Executive to engage in consultation, negotiation and close co-operation with everyone who is involved in the community. The Executive should listen to the concerns that have been outlined effectively and in such a high-profile way and minimise the impact that the construction of the western peripheral route may have. Brian Adam talked about noise reduction measures, which are a possibility, and David Davidson mentioned some of the route issues.
I hope that we get detailed responses, which I hope will be positive, to the issues that have been raised in the debate. I also hope that the Executive will consider the issues seriously. I am sure that it will do so, because—as we heard from David Davidson and Brian Adam—the centre provides a much-needed, valued and excellent facility that deserves our support. Within reason, every action should be taken to ensure that the resource can continue to work to the best of its ability and can be as valued, productive and constructive as it is now when the new route is constructed.
I thank Mr Davidson for introducing this important debate. I visited Newton Dee last week and, like him, I was struck by how quickly we moved from the main road to what seemed like the depths of the countryside. We went down a narrow lane with high trees overhanging it and lots of bushes round about—I felt that we were entering a different world. As the taxi drew up beside the Phoenix hall and I stepped out, I was struck by the tangible peace and quiet. It was amazing to move so quickly from the hurly-burly of Aberdeen city centre to this quiet refuge.
I was attending a meeting of more than 100 people who were concerned about and fearful of what the future might hold. Indeed, one person in particular told us that he had lived in the community for 30 years and spoke very movingly of the bad dreams he was having about what lay ahead. Someone else said that she did not want to live anywhere else. There is a real fear of what the development could bring to the community. Where is the justice for these people? What have they done to deserve having their daily lives destroyed in such a way?
These communities are run on sustainable principles. As an organic farmer, I know that biodynamic farming requires the very highest commitment to very strict principles. These communities are doing as much as possible to try to live lightly on this earth while undertaking the challenging task of helping many severely disabled children and adults. A calm and peaceful environment is crucial in their treatment and daily lives. What does it say about us that, yet again, those who are not only the most vulnerable but who have the least impact on the environment are being asked to pay the highest price?
When I met those who were involved in planning the route, they told me that they were contemplating making a cutting to protect the community. I suggest that burying the road in a cutting is not the answer. For example, the incline into and out of that cutting will be such that lorries would have to change gear constantly as they climbed out, which would have a massive noise impact. Of course, that would be after the massive earth-working equipment had spent months creating the cutting. I would not like to live beside such works. If I do not want to live beside it, why should I expect others to do so?
We should ask why such destruction is happening around the whole route when there is no guarantee that congestion will be reduced. We must get people out of their cars first, not give them greater opportunities to stay in them. We need to reduce traffic growth, because climate change affects us all.
I feel strongly that the caring, compassionate and dedicated community at Newton Dee deserves better than this and I, for one, will do all that I can to ensure that justice is done for it.
As a near neighbour of the Newton Dee community on the Camphill estate for 31 years, I have nothing but admiration for the work that is done there. As we have heard, the village is situated in a wonderful rural environment in the heart of the Dee valley between the river and the A93 north Deeside road. In the 65 years since it was established, it has become a firmly-established part of the local community. For example, its long-established organic farm is worked by the residents and supplies the community; and its shop and cafe, which provide bread and crafts that are also made by the residents, are popular haunts for local people.
Newton Dee is a home, a work place and a peaceful haven for some very vulnerable people, from children through to elderly people. Indeed, several residents I know have lived there for at least the 30 years that I have lived nearby. They visit the local shops; take exercise on the old Deeside line walkway and in local streets; and are well known and well liked by neighbouring residents. They suffer from disabilities to varying degrees and have benefited hugely from their tranquil surroundings, the family units in which they live and the routine of work and social living that characterises their daily experience.
That life has been under threat for more than 10 years—indeed, since it was first proposed to build the western peripheral route through the community on its passage between the north and south Deeside roads. Camphill estates raised objections at that time and has consistently maintained them to the present day. Now that the preferred corridor is being surveyed in detail ahead of the exact route being chosen, the community has increased its campaign against the road and has gained widespread support locally and further afield.
I confess that, even though I know the area well, I was shocked when I visited Newton Dee recently and was shown the impact that the road would have on the village, even if it were screened by an embankment and other mitigating measures. Not only would the local environment be changed for ever and the community split right down the middle, but the disruption to the community's residents would ruin the lives of those who have made Newton Dee their home.
If Nanette Milne's analysis is correct, what solution would she suggest to deal with the problem, which we all agree exists?
I will come to that later in my speech.
The vulnerable residents of Newton Dee could not cope with the noise and disruption that the massive upheaval would cause. Dr Stefan Geider, the community's doctor, is extremely concerned about the damage that people will suffer and, as David Davidson said, would very much like the minister to go to the community to see the situation for himself. Dr Geider cites the safety implications of such a road traversing a community in which many residents are either fascinated or frightened by traffic and often have no appreciation of the danger that it poses. He also emphasises that the increase in stress and pollution that would be associated with the building of the road would severely upset the residents, many of whom have severe and complex medical conditions.
The community is so concerned about the potential damage to its residents that it is prepared to pursue the matter as a potential infringement of human rights, and if such a challenge were to go ahead, it would delay the road significantly. As members know, I have spent the best part of 20 years campaigning for the Aberdeen western peripheral road and I am delighted that, at long last, something is happening about it, so I do not want the road to be delayed in any way. As Brian Adam knows, I have always been opposed to building the corridor through Camphill, and did my best as a councillor to have the proposal defeated when the decision was made in 1996. Having lost the argument then, I have fought to have the road built as soon as possible and have even brought a busload of supporters down to the Parliament to back it.
However, I fully support Newton Dee's case and I question whether there are any mitigating measures that would make the corridor acceptable during or after construction, given the current site. I think that 18 proposed corridor routes were considered—of which the road through Newton Dee is route 14—and I have asked the Minister for Transport to re-evaluate one of the routes outwith the Camphill estate, preferably to the west of it, where I have genuinely always felt that the road should be. I am in no doubt that the community at Newton Dee means business and will, if necessary, delay the road development by an unknown length of time. The last thing that we need in Aberdeen is for the road to be delayed much longer, so I hope that the Minister for Transport will examine the threatened community closely and use his influence to ensure that the southern route of the western peripheral road is diverted away from Camphill.
I congratulate David Davidson on securing the debate. A number of members have spoken about the Camphill movement, which is clearly held in high regard. The Executive has a good and proud record on learning disability and any opportunity that we have to speak about our approach to the issue is more than welcome.
One of the joys of life in our country is the wide diversity of service provision that we have in many aspects of life, and that is certainly the case in the learning disability field. As members know, we launched "The same as you? A review of services for people with learning disabilities" in May 2000. The document is highly regarded, not only because of its content, which set out a programme of change over 10 years, but for the inclusive way in which it was developed: people with learning disabilities were involved and were listened to. During the review, people listened to what those with learning disabilities had to say about services, their lives, how they were treated by others and their hopes for the future.
People with learning disabilities want to live the same as other people, but that does not mean that they want everything to be the same. Some want to live in their own tenancy, with a little support, whereas others are happy with a quite different life, living in a community of people with similar issues. We have heard about that today. That is part and parcel of the discussion that we constantly have around this area.
What matters is that people with learning disabilities have choice—real choice—about where they live and what they do. Sometimes, they might need support to make those decisions, which is why advocacy is important. In order to benefit from those choices, people need to enjoy good health. It is widely accepted that people with learning disabilities have not had the same access to health services as other people in our communities, yet people with learning disabilities have greater and more complex health needs than the rest of the population. That is why we commissioned NHS Health Scotland to produce its health needs assessment report on people with learning disabilities in Scotland. The aim is to reduce health inequalities and encourage health services to work better with and for people with learning disabilities.
I have not visited Newton Dee, but David Davidson praises the pioneering health care provision there. I hear members' requests that I visit the community. I might be in Aberdeen in the summer and although I think that I might have a fairly full programme already, I am happy to examine the possibility of visiting the community on that occasion or at some future point.
In many ways, the Camphill community is an interesting organisation. It has created its own community and we have heard today how valuable that is for many people. There is no doubt that Camphill provides a valuable resource for many individuals and their families.
I reaffirm the Executive's commitment to people with learning disabilities across Scotland. We know that they are getting access to more opportunities for employment and education and, through the work of the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, they are helping to design and deliver training for professionals. Further, our national implementation group is working on a number of issues to tackle barriers to the implementation of recommendations in "The same as you?" at the local and the national level.
We have no hesitation in recognising the valuable role that the Newton Dee community plays in providing community health services.
This afternoon, we have also heard about the proposal to build a western peripheral route around the city of Aberdeen. The provision of that road is part of the partnership agreement that covers our governance arrangements in Scotland and the road is an essential component of the city's modern transport system, which is designed to provide a sustainable and effective answer to Aberdeen's growing transport problems.
This afternoon, many views have been expressed and we have heard talk about justice and destruction. It is right and proper that people come to the Parliament and represent the views of the community but it is also appropriate to say that we must be careful not to create unnecessary concerns through over-elaboration or exaggeration. Given that we are dealing with a sensitive community and a subject that is of importance to the wider community in the city, it is important that we keep the issues in their proper perspective.
The new peripheral road has been the subject of considerable investigation. It was first promoted by Grampian Regional Council in the 1990s, was later taken up by Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council and is now being promoted as a trunk road in a partnership between those councils and the Executive. I emphasise that no decisions have been made on the final route of the road.
My colleague the Minister for Transport has commissioned studies to examine any impact that the road might have on the Camphill schools and on Newton Dee. Once that assessment has been completed, the opportunity will be taken to embark on a full consultation on any route or corridor that might be followed by the road. It is extremely important that the community understands that reassurance. The decisions on the route will not be arrived at tomorrow; the process that is involved in such decisions can be fairly long and drawn out. It is right that that should be the case, as it allows people the fullest opportunity to express concerns; it also allows many of them to make constructive suggestions about the alternatives that might exist.
I recognise the excellent work that goes on in the Camphill community and stress, on behalf of the Executive, that we are a long way away from making decisions and that people will have many opportunities to express their concerns and make suggestions. I hope that people from the Camphill community take away that reassurance and understand that, certainly in the short to medium term, their way of life is not under threat and that they will have a significant opportunity to influence the final decisions on the road.
Meeting closed at 17:40.