Action Plan
Introduction
This chapter outlines the actions we have developed in support of achieving our vision for the Grangemouth industrial cluster. Following consultation, these actions have been updated in response to feedback on our draft Plan and detail the activity that GFIB proposes to take forward.
Methodology
Taken together, the baseline information and vision have informed the actions required by GFIB partners and other stakeholders to support delivery of a Just Transition at Grangemouth.
Further discussions with key stakeholders across industry, community and public sector leaders, provided opportunity for them to share their views.
The sessions, combined direct questions with free-flowing discussion. The questions asked were grouped around the eight Just Transition levers identified in the Vision document: Strategy and Governance; Sustainability and Decarbonisation; Jobs and Skills; Finance; Technology and Innovation; Place; Supply Chain Ecosystem; and Communication.
Consultation feedback has provided valuable and wide ranging perspectives which have significantly improved the clarity, focus, ownership and deliverability of this action plan. However, the pace and magnitude of recent developments at the cluster mean urgent and decisive action must be taken now, particularly in providing support that can put the cluster on a secure footing for a long term future. We have therefore not waited for consultation feedback to progress significant activity, including following Project Willow, establishment of an Investment Taskforce and the announcement of our £25m Grangemouth Just Transition Fund.
GFIB members have been engaged wherever immediate action has been taken. There is a wealth of activity already underway across the GFIB group, with a number of dedicated individuals working to affect meaningful and positive change. This, taken alongside consultation feedback, has allowed us to refine a clearer and more targeted action plan, encompassing the totality of the industrial base, workforce and community with identified delivery timeframes and action owners.
‘They [the workers] want to be and could be the experts in decarbonisation. They want opportunities to be part of the solution, which are jobs and skills training.’[7]
Transition Stages/Milestones
We have now separated the actions in this section into near, medium, and longer-term activities, reflecting both the criticality of recent developments, and consultees‘ request for prioritisation. We are currently in a respond, identify and appraise stage of development – focusing on responsive action to address major cluster challenges, as well as identifying the optimum pathway forward for Grangemouth. The below diagram provides an indicative outline of how efforts should progress and will form critical review points for future iterations of this plan.
2025 - Respond, Identify and Appraise
Near-term actions to set the right foundations for net zero transition
- Co-ordination of all stakeholders and shared outcomes agreed
- Ensuring a stable foundation for industry to transition
- Safeguarding for at-risk workers
- Identify viable technical/commercial transition opportunities
- Master planning to understand infrastructure requirements and wider place-based impacts
- Facilitate Scottish and UK Government alignment
- Enhance community participation In decision making
2035 - Establish and Develop
Medium term activity to secure growth of early stage development
- Key transition projects are known and supported from development through to construction and operation at relative scale
- Enhanced foresight of jobs and skills requirement, and workforce pipeline sufficiently engaged from an early stage
- Early development of supply chain requirements
- Policy and regulatory landscape continually responds to unlock growth across key sectors
- Local benefits are understood and captured through early development
- Community have capacity and resource to develop bespoke projects serving community, drawing on support from wider partnership with GFIB
2045 - Growth and Sustainability
Long term initiatives that can secure sustainable growth and just transition outcomes
- Cluster is aligned to allow sustainable economic growth of existing manufacturing base and streamlined process for new entrants to emerge
- Cluster continues to advance towards net zero
- Circularity embedded into key manufacturing processes where applicable
- Local benefits for job creation, access to green spaces,
- Both local and national supply chains are supported in developing fully to support cluster operations
Actions
Near-Term Actions
Actions taking place now and across the next 12 months with an urgent priority
Just Transition lever – Strategy & Governance
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Develop an industry-led technical and commercial cluster strategy that supports as an investment prospectus for the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster, aligned to Scottish and UK net zero targets, that attracts investment focused on economic, social and environmental benefit. |
Utilising industry expertise and commercial knowledge, supported by Government, this strategy will outline a portfolio of investable projects focused on both decarbonisation and diversification with clear industry commitment, outlining the commercially viable interventions that form a cluster-wide pathway to net zero. The investment strategy should consider public, private and social investment. The strategy will draw on findings from ongoing work focused on Project Willow, and the wider cluster, including infrastructure planning. Cluster management options will be considered as part of the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Strategy delivery. Governments will work collaboratively to consider both the reserved and devolved policy landscape to ensure that the commercial viability of individual projects is supported, drawing on expert advice and evidence from across the Grangemouth Future Industry Board and studies, including Project Willow. |
GFIB Policy & Strategy Workstream Scottish Government UK Government Considering detailed advice from GFIB |
Committed to and work already underway Further requirements for delivery of the strategy will be considered by partners |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities |
Just Transition lever – Finance and Sustainability & Decarbonisation
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Deliver £25m Grangemouth Just Transition Fund. |
The Fund will seek to deliver support for businesses currently operating at the industrial cluster as well as work to establish and attract new investment to ensure the sites transition, which can be categorised under the following policy objectives:
- Support to expedite near-term opportunities arising from the Project Willow study and accelerate the deployment of other growth projects across the industrial cluster
- Support for industry - Securing the foundations of the site by supporting infrastructure investment projects and acting as a catalyst for new investment opportunities.
- Supporting the existing and future workforce;
- Promoting meaningful community initiatives with tangible links to the cluster
This fund will be made available during this financial year and will expedite near term propositions arising from the Project Willow study and accelerate the deployment of other projects across the industrial cluster. |
Scottish Government working with delivery partners across GFIB |
Public commitment with work underway define fund governance and award criteria, and identify viable projects |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities Communities and Place |
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Develop a series of Just Transition conditionalities and consider how to apply them successfully to public funding for the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster, maximising the reach of public funding particularly for workers and the wider community. |
Public funding directed towards the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster will consider conditions that support fair work, community benefits, equity stakes, profit-sharing mechanisms and environmental needs. Scottish Government will explore the development and application of a series of conditionalities aligned to its newly announced £25m Just Transition Fund. This will include early development of a Jobs Transition Agreement, working with Unite the Union to develop a long term provision, supporting pathways for Grangemouth workers facing redundancy into future roles within the cluster, aligned to emerging projects that have received public funding. |
Scottish Government, seeking input from key partners including the Just Transition Commission, Unite the Union, GFIB |
Development work underway, considering products required to support effective achievement of conditionalities by grant recipients and proportionality against grant allocation |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities Communities and Place People and Equity Adaptation, Environment, and Biodiversity |
Just Transition lever – Sustainability and Decarbonisation
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Progressing the next stage of Project Willow, working collectively to ensure a pipeline of viable projects and investors with scale and ambition. |
Scottish Enterprise and the UK Office for Investment are leading an Investment Taskforce whose role is to identify and attract projects, stakeholders and investors with an interest in progressing the propositions outlined in Project Willow. Scottish Enterprise are the first destination for any new investment enquiries at Grangemouth. Working proactively with interested potential investors, we will support the development of a pipeline of projects eligible for our £25m Grangemouth Just Transition fund and leverage other public sector funding and private sector capital sources to deliver a portfolio of projects aligned to a just transition at Grangemouth. |
Scottish Enterprise UK Office for Investment With support from Scottish and UK Governments more broadly |
Commitment by both Scottish and UK Governments, with early enquiries/ potential projects being considered by Scottish Enterprise and partners. |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities |
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Establish Grangemouth as a global hub for sustainable chemical technology innovation, scale-up and commercialisation. |
Scottish Enterprise will work with industry, governments, Falkirk Council and national innovation stakeholders to ensure the cluster turns innovation into economic development for the region, Scotland and the UK by using the locations unique infrastructure, skills base, academic and business support ecosystem, and feedstock potential to attract innovators, investors and organisations looking for innovative solutions. Innovators will be supported through the development of a series of targeted research & innovation calls; access to scale up funding; co-developing a skills and a UK technology pull through model, SME Innovation space and a pilot technology demonstration plant and work to develop consortia and build the supply chain. This is to support out ambition that by 2035 Grangemouth will be a global hub for sustainable chemicals innovation. Home to national translational manufacturing facilities where there is a seamless transition of companies/technologies and products from Grangemouth Innovation to Economic Development pipelines. |
Scottish Enterprise working with governments, national innovation delivery partners and industry. |
Work committed to by Scottish Enterprise |
Jobs, Skills and Economic Opportunities |
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Establish a Grangemouth Regulatory Hub to support a Just Transition to net zero. Apply learnings from funding secured through the UK Government Regulators’ Pioneer Fund to trial novel approaches to regulation with the aim of supporting innovation of industrial cluster to net zero whilst continuing to protect people and the environment. Pursue additional funding routes to support a change in regulatory approach to support innovation and the Just Transition to net zero GHG emissions. |
Scottish Government and SEPA worked closely with industry to fully explore opportunities presented by the Outcome-Based Collaborative Regulation project. Doing so has the capacity to develop new ways to help industry to operate sustainably and efficiently, while also fostering increased collaboration between public sector, industry and community stakeholders. Feedback from businesses and the community on what they need from a Regulatory Hub is being used to inform a business case to develop more joined up access to regulatory information. Initial pilots of Outcome Based Collaborative Regulation first stagehave been completed, informing how to take this and wider innovative approaches forward. Additional pilot work is being explored. |
GFIB Policy & Strategy Workstream |
Aspiration to progress this to next stage, alongside industry and wider GFIB partners subject to suitable business case approval. SEPA is considering next steps to progress Outcome Based Collaborative Regulation. |
Adaptation, Environment, and Biodiversity |
Just Transition lever – Jobs & Skills
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Establish a Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Skills pilot that will support the industrial transition. |
Develop a skills offer, tailored to existing and future requirements specific to the cluster, built on an evidence-led outline of future skills requirements and informed by the industrial cluster strategy. Efforts should embed equality and access to opportunity, particularly for local people at its core. Working collaboratively with partners to co-ordinate and develop existing and enhanced STEM outreach programmes that draw on recent findings on in-demand skills, to maximise impact. Create with partners a bespoke programme of STEM activity that incorporates specific needs as identified for the Grangemouth industrial cluster. The STEM outreach programme will work with partners to highlight career opportunities, learning/ skills pathways into STEM, future jobs. It will engage a wide range of audiences, including those currently under-represented in STEM subjects and careers. |
GFIB Jobs & Skills workstream |
Early outline proposals being developed across GFIB Jobs & Skills workstream partners, to be further refined before consideration of funding from £25m Just Transition Fund |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities People and Equity |
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
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Partners will collaborate to promote and develop a tailored and flexible pre-apprenticeship programme for the Grangemouth industrial cluster to enable the existing and future workforce to enhance their skills, competency, and qualifications quickly and easily. This proposed activity recognises that employers will be key contributors to the skills offer, alongside individuals and employees who will be consulted through development. |
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| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Provide a Skills intervention for Grangemouth industrial cluster workers facing redundancy as a result of the refinery closure – ensuring targeted support for further, high quality employment. |
The Scottish Government and UK Government are co-funding a skills intervention for Petroineos workers facing redundancy at Grangemouth refinery and Finnart terminal. This intervention is being delivered through Forth Valley College (FVC) and aims to facilitate the transition of highly-skilled workers through the job market and into in-demand industries. We will consider the learnings and potential development of this intervention to find a solution that provides as much employment now as possible for displaced workers, in lieu of the new roles that will be coming on line in future years in Grangemouth. With potential for a more systematic matching of displaced workers to role gaps in Scotland across specific growth sectors. |
Joint funding from Scottish Government and UK Government Delivered by Forth Valley College Wider project support from Unite the Union and Skills Development Scotland/PACE |
Committed to and in the process of delivery, drawing on funding from both Scottish and UK Governments |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities People and Equity |
There’s not many other clusters where a variety of different businesses have common ownership. So actually, there’s an ability to make transformational change at Grangemouth because we’re not going to be competing with each other and actually should, in theory, be working hand in glove.[8]
Just Transition lever – Place and Community
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Consider the next steps for a targeted Community Engagement and Participation Manager function, representing community views across GFIB, and supporting the development of communtiy focused projects that put community wealth building at the heart of the transition to net-zero. |
Building on the success of the year 1 Community Engagement and Participation Manager role, which greatly expanded GFIB’s reach to community members and groups, focused on the consultation of this plan, we will continue to refine and adapt the focus of role as GFIB moves into delivery, with identifying and delivering community benefit as it relates to the industrial clusters transition at it’s core. |
Scottish Government |
Year 1 funding has now completed with deliverables met. Continued work subject to business case approval and relevant due diligence. |
People and Equity |
Just Transition lever – Communications
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Develop initial investor outreach material, aligned to the Grangemouth cluster strategy and early investment opportunities emerging from Project Willow to enhance engagement and investor relations. |
GFIB will develop an early communication programme, promoting the vision for Grangemouth’s net zero future, aligned to this Just Transition Plan and wider work ongoing – making clear the industrial future development opportunities and unique benefits Grangemouth offers. |
Scottish Enterprise with support from wider GFIB group |
Work committed to and underway, led by Scottish Enterprise. initial engagement film now launched. GFIB will consider further work required and cost, aligned to the development of the Cluster Strategy. |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities |
Medium Term Actions
Actions that will be developed over the next 1-3 years
Just Transition lever – Strategy and Governance
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Map, consider and develop required changes to create a responsive policy and regulatory environment to enhance the commercial viability of specific industrial transition projects. |
We acknowledge that at present there are a number of policy and regulatory challenges which can make transition to low carbon operations less advantageous from a market competitive perspective. The recent Project Willow study has makes a series of policy and regulatory recommendations to SG and UKG- including a recommendation for power market reform to provide reduced power price to hydrogen projects. Policy and regulatory change requires careful consideration of wider impact, particularly in the context of Just Transition planning. We will continue to conduct detailed analysis of policy and regulatory changes required, to ensure that the right conditions are met for industry to achieve net zero targets. This includes recently commissioned work looking at the potential for oil seed cover crops to be used as a bio fuel feedstock. This was one of the key recommendations for Scottish Government in Project Willow. |
Scottish government UK Government With detailed insight and evidence provided by GFIB expertise and commissioned research |
Work underway with SG considering policy changes required within devolved competency. |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities |
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
|
Many of the levers to affect change here lie with the UK Government, and it is critical that they continue to consider these changes fully in order for Scotland to realise the full potential of Grangemouth’s net zero potential. |
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| Continue to collate and refine the Grangemouth Just Transition Baseline research to enhance GFIB’s oversight of key challenges, risks, growth opportunities and to support evaluation, ensuring that the Just Transition Plan remains fit for purpose. |
Some respondents to our recent consultation suggested that the Baseline section of this plan should provide a broader and more comprehensive analysis of the factors contributing to Grangemouth’s current status. Whilst we have endeavoured to strengthen aspects considered, time and availability of data has not allowed for this to be fully developed. We will continue to consider what additional information could be included in our baseline research, and where, if required bespoke research may provide beneficial in providing greater insights into impacts of transitioning the cluster to net zero. |
Scottish Government working with GFIB partners |
Ambition that will be further considered as the work to deliver this iteration of the Just Transition Plan is monitored. |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities Communities and Place People and Equity Adaptation, Environment, and Biodiversity |
Just Transition lever – Jobs and Skills
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Continue to promote and maintain co-ordination of initiatives across the wider region, to ensure that the Grangemouth industrial cluster is given appropriate attention, and ensure appropriate skills demand planning is in place. |
Ensure alignment across various skills initiatives including the Forth Valley Skills Action Plan, Growth Deal and Forth Green Freeport currently under development, particularly given the anticipated increase in demand for specific skills across all initiatives in the context of current skills shortages. |
GFIB Jobs and Skills Workstream |
Ambition to promote co-ordination by all relevant partners given their ongoing work across all initiatives. |
People and Equity Jobs, Skills and Economic Opportunities |
Just Transition lever – Finance
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Leverage the value of existing government funding e.g., Green Freeport, Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal, Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal to ensure that the cluster is given required attention. |
A complex landscape of government-backed growth and investment deals risks providing a confusing landscape for businesses to navigate for financial support at Grangemouth. Steps should be taken to ensure that companies and other stakeholders don’t miss opportunities to apply for funding resources, government should work closely with Cluster partners to ensure new funding streams are accessible by businesses engaged in decarbonisation. More collaboration between the various deals could create more focused outcomes for Grangemouth. Through the work of the investment taskforce ensure that available public and private sources of funding and support are leveraged to secure and drive forward projects that will deliver the Just Transition at Grangemouth. |
Key GFIB partners including UK Government, Scottish Government, Falkirk Council and Forth Green Freeport |
Ambition to promote co-ordination by all relevant partners given their ongoing work across all initiatives. |
Jobs, Skills and Economic Opportunities |
Just Transition lever – Place and Community
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Define and establish best practice community engagement guidelines for partners in the Cluster, to deliver a consistent approach to community empowerment in decision-making. |
Just Transition policy makes clear that community should be a vested partner in developing plans for the future transition to net zero, as a stakeholder group that stands to be significantly affected by change. However, meaningful engagement can be challenging given the diversity of community groups and perspectives, as well as ensuring that engagement is accessible and inclusive of all views. GFIB should establish a ratified means of engaging and involving community representatives in the work of the Grangemouth Future Industry Board. |
GFIB Place and Community Workstream |
Ambition with work to be refined and initiated with relevant GFIB workstream leads |
People and Equity Communities and Place |
Grangemouth should be one of Europe’s foremost clusters. With the assets it has there’s no reason why it couldn’t be a £5-10bn player alongside other leading UK clusters.’[9]
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Working with key partners, continue to develop on the initial findings of a plan to improve public transport links, connectivity and accessibility around the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster. |
Following publication of the draft version of this plan, Scottish Government provided funding to Falkirk Council to conduct a Grangemouth STAG Transport Study Initial Appraisal – Case for Change. All work to date follows the Transport Scotland STAG guidance (see here) and is to be followed by a further preliminary and detailed appraisal work to refine the long-list options before making an informed decision about whether there is sufficient justification to progress the any of the preferred options. The Case for Change and subsequent Detailed Appraisal stage will help to form a Strategic Outline Case for any potential transport project(s) to be taken forward in future. |
Falkirk Council to lead with support from GFIB Policy and Strategy workstream GFIB Place and Community Workstream |
Initial STAG report completed. Ambition to work collectively on progressing next steps. |
Communities and Place |
Longer Term Actions
Actions that will be developed over the next 3-5 years
Just Transition lever – Place and Community
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Co-ordinate and align community focused projects with the Greener Grangemouth Programme with a clear plan of realistic actions that deliver positive impact, build confidence and create momentum. |
Greener Grangemouth is a Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal funded initiative, focused on improving the wider town of Grangemouth through the transition to net zero, towards developing a greener, safer and more prosperous town centre. GFIB should work proactively with the Greener Grangemouth programme team to ensure projects are aligned, that programmes of work continue to be clearly communicated to community members, who will have an active role in shaping developments to outputs lead to desired outcomes for the Grangemouth community. |
Grangemouth Place and Community Workstream |
Commitment with work to ensure alignment already underway between. |
Communities and Place |
| Within the parameters of procurement regulations, explore how local procurement can be utilised to encourage and incentivise operating companies to procure goods and services from local companies, working to enhance community wealth building. |
Procurement can be a powerful tool in building community wealth in local economies. The Grangemouth cluster already has a strong link to local supply chains, as outline in our baseline. GFIB will work to consider what ways procurement can be utilised to grow this as the site transitions to net zero to ensure local supply chains can support employment in the area and retain wealth locally. |
Scottish Government, drawing on evidence from wider GFIB group |
Ambition, to be further explored with SG procurement policy and wider evidence from GFIB. |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities Communities and Place People and Equity Adaptation, Environment, and Biodiversity |
Just Transition lever - Supply Chain Ecosystem
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Develop a supply chain plan for Grangemouth, which outlines the requirements, actions and stakeholder engagement needed across the Cluster to establish the Global supply chain which will enable the Grangemouth Transition. |
As the cluster evolves and reduces emissions/ diversifies production, there will be an increased opportunity for SMEs to access and participate in the Cluster Strategy. This work should help prepare a pipeline of suppliers for the core cluster, supporting the realisation of sustainable, net zero growth, at pace. Grangemouth’s extensive supply chain spans multiple sectors and is supported by trade networks across Scotland, the UK, and globally. Leveraging these networks through targeted campaigns will showcase supply chain opportunities which will attract investment and commercial engagement. In the medium-to-long term, Grangemouth has the potential to become a global leader in industrial decarbonisation. Establishing forums for cluster organisations and international partners to exchange knowledge and foster commercial development which could evolve into a revenue-generating initiative. A Grangemouth Industrial Cluster Supply Chain Forum, built on a membership model, would further connect suppliers to project opportunities, reinforcing the cluster’s growth and impact. |
GFIB policy and strategy workstream |
Ambition with work to be fully scoped following development of Cluster Strategy |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities Communities and Place |
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Harness the coordinated support of trade bodies and other supply chain support organisations by creating a specific campaign to promote the cluster strategy, attracting further potential interest and opportunities to support the cluster’s development and opportunities at Grangemouth. |
The overall supply chain at Grangemouth encompasses a wide range of sectors, each of which is supported by networks of trade organisations with footprints across Scotland, the UK and the rest of the world. Opportunities should be explored to harness the reach of these networks through the creation of bespoke campaigns to promote the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster – and the investment and commercial opportunities it represents – to their memberships. |
GFIB policy and strategy workstream |
Ambition with work to be fully scoped following development of Cluster Strategy |
Jobs, skills and economic opportunities Communities and Place |
Just Transition lever - Communications
| Action |
Detail |
Owner |
Status |
Just Transition Outcome |
| Working with GFIB partners, consider the development of an investor outreach programme programme to promote the cluster – aligned to the wider Cluster Strategy and this plan articulating its ambition, goals, commercial opportunities, impact and benefits. Complementing this, develop a distinctive brand identity and narrative to position the cluster with key audiences and stakeholders. |
Most successful industrial clusters in the UK and across Europe have developed a cohesive and compelling Cluster narrative. We recommend that once a Cluster Strategy has been developed and approved for Grangemouth, it ensures that the key components of this are developed with a brand and messaging designed to make appeal to investors locally, nationally and internationally. Once a clear brand and strategic narrative has been developed, the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster can be promoted through an integrated communication and marketing programme that brings the aims of its partners to life for a diverse range of audiences. The aim will be to showcase the Cluster’s goals, ambitions, values and the commercial opportunity that it represents for investors to bring business to the site. |
GFIB Strategy and Governance Workstream |
Ambition with work to be fully scoped and considered by GFIB |
Jobs, Skills and Economic Opportunities Communities and Place People and Equity |
