Dingwall & Seaforth Area Committee approve Place Based Investment funding
The Dingwall & Seaforth Area Committee, which met last week, agreed to allocate a further sum of £65,000 from the Place-Based Investment Fund within their Ward.
This follows on from the budget agreed by the Highland Council in March 2021, whereby a £100,000 Place Based Investment Fund was allocated to each Ward for the 2021/22 financial year. The Fund is intended to enable a flexible local response to address the four harms of Covid which are identified as direct health harms; health impacts not directly related to Covid; societal impacts and economic impacts.
At a previous meeting of the Dingwall & Seaforth Area Committee on 9 November 2021, Members agreed to the creation of an £80,000 grant scheme for community groups to apply to for Village and Town Amenities and Maintenance.
In addition, also on 9 November 2021, £20,000 was split equally – with an allocation of £10,000 agreed for investment in play parks and £10,000 to support the business community to investigate establishing formal representative groups.
The £80,000 grant fund ringfenced for Village and Town Amenities and Maintenance activity was open to applications from formally constituted and established community groups, charities and Development Trusts/Companies equipped to carry out identified repairs, replacements and seasonal maintenance.
Groups were required to demonstrate their ability to directly employ, manage or contract the necessary relevant service, with the Management Group expected to work together in a co-ordinated way with already established community volunteer groups and the Highland Council’s Amenities Manager.
The following Village and Town Amenities and Maintenance project applications were agreed during Monday’s meeting:
£35,000 to the Muir of Ord Development Trust in collaboration with Maryburgh Amenities Company for The Clean and Green Initiative. The project outline states that its purpose is to:
“Create an increased sense of civic pride in Muir of Ord and Maryburgh for the residents, visitors and local businesses who will experience a noticeable improvement in the upkeep and cleanliness of the streets, paths, amenities and public spaces. These will be kept free from litter, weeds, obstructions so that people can move around safely and on good quality, attractive and pleasant walking and cycle routes and in scenic parks, whatever their age or mobility.”
£30,000 to Dingwall Community Development Company for The Clean and Green Initiative. The project outline states that its purpose is to:
“Raise civic pride in local residents by providing a cleaner, greener environment. Projects will include tasks such as weed clearing Dingwall High Street, collecting and recycling litter, grass cutting and cleaning areas of vandalism. Completing these projects will encourage local residents to spend more time in the Town Centre and near by green areas. This is of particular importance in the present climate where studies have shown increased green space during moments of stress such as the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to mitigate some of the negative effects of the stressor.”
Chair of the Dingwall & Seaforth Area Committee, Councillor Graham MacKenzie, said: “Both projects are set to provide an enhanced level of upkeep and cleanliness to core areas within our Ward and work will be underway soon. This will be to the benefit of local residents, visitors / tourists and the businesses operating within the area. I look forward to seeing progress being made now we have allocated the funding.”
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