Funding helps Inverness communities access outdoors

Local communities are to benefit from Inverness Councillors’ decisions on how to allocate £100,000 ‘Place Based Investment Funding’ in a number of Highland Council local Wards respectively today.

Provost of Inverness and Area Cllr Helen Carmichael said: “We have approved half a million pounds Place Based Investment Funding today for the people living in 5 Inverness Wards and look forward to allocating another £200,000 for the remaining two Wards. The range of projects and activities that this funding will assist will help to improve local access to outdoor space, encourage time spent in the outdoors and promote mental wellbeing in the recovery from the pandemic.”

In March 2021, Highland Council’s Budget decisions allocated £100,000 to each Ward for the 2021/22 financial year to respond to the direct and indirect health, societal and economic impacts of COVID-19.

Councillors have approved for:

• Aird & Loch Ness, Ward 12 - £100,000 investments in play parks, paths/trails, cycle networks and community led projects.
• Inverness West, Ward 13 - £100,000 investments in play parks, residential path improvement, secondary school growing projects, and primary school well-being projects.
• Inverness Ness-side, Ward 15 - £100,000 investments in a Befriending Scheme, Castle Heather Park, MacDonald Park, Culduthel Woods, and environmental awareness project in 3 primary schools, Holm Path improvements and the Holm Grown grant support.
• Millburn – Ward 16 - £100,000 investments in play parks, Befriending Scheme, and a Fitness & Well-being initiative.
• Inverness South – Ward 19 - £100,000 investments in Inshes Community Park and Inverness College UHI ABC Garden Project.

Reports detailing funding allocation proposals for the Central Ward 14 and Culloden and Ardersier, Ward 17 will be brought back to a future meeting of the City of Inverness Area Committee.

Where organisations and groups will be asked to apply for the grant funding available - applications will be made via the established process for Ward Discretionary Grants and this, and the criteria for those funds, will be promoted locally at that time.