East Ayrshire Council says its decision to create and support scores of ‘Warm Welcome Spaces’ was the right thing to do in the face of spiralling energy bills and the cost of living crisis.

Now councillors have spoken of their hope it will evolve into an all year round network that meets the needs of communities rather than focus on ‘warm’ element of the programme.

Recent figures showed a mixed bag when it came to the numbers attending warm spaces set up by East Ayrshire Leisure.

In some cases the number of registered visitors were in single figures. But the council says that the need to get support in place for local people was their utmost priority.

East Ayrshire Council will now look to develop a mainstream of community facilities that can provide a range of different supports, in consultation with each community, right throughout the year.

The report to the authority's cabinet this week followed a detailed assessment of the scheme by the council's governance and scrutiny committee in March.

The committee had noted the progress in developing the Warm Welcome Spaces initiative, those operated by East Ayrshire Leisure, volunteers, and faith groups.

It also highlighted the range of support such as digital inclusion, finance,social interaction and access to food, energy and reducing social isolation.

The report stated that all of the spaces had shown an increase in footfall, but recognised that ‘some venues had lower footfall than might have been anticipated, sometimes considerably so’.

As a result, the spaces will be assessed with a view to revise or relocate some facilities.

Councillors had made a point of highlighting the ongoing need for access to essential food provision which the welcome spaces are central. 

Aneeke Freel, of East Ayrshire Leisure, said that the plan was to "respond to community needs as they arrive".

She said: “The next steps for the welcoming spaces or the warm welcoming spaces is a continued review and monitoring and for us to respond to community needs as they arrive. 

“These spaces are now set up, the initial investment has been put in place and we’re now in a position to respond to whatever the community needs.

Council leader Douglas Reid welcomed the report, saying that the purpose of the spaces was not just to keep people warm, but to add to community cohesion at a time when many people were dealing with isolation.

Councillor Lillian Jones, who chairs the governance and scrutiny committee, said they had  stressed the importance of our welcome spaces. 

She added:  “It is also important that the investment and the resource is targeted  at the exact locations where it’s needed most and I’m am pleased that in most cases it certainly has.

“It’s recognized that it’s not the heat that our families are going to be seeking, it’s going to be mostly food, particularly when we enter the summer school holidays when food provision will be really important for families who are under pressure financially.”

SNP councillor Elaine Cowan agreed that the purpose of the facilities was broadening and asked whether the purpose of the spaces required a rebrand.

She said: “It is actually not about warm welcome spaces, but welcome spaces.”

Depute chief executive Katie Kelly added that they were looking to the service to help everyone.

She said: “It doesn’t matter whether you’re affected by the cost of living or not, you want people to connect and not be isolated so I think it’s been a great programme.”