Communities and young people in Badenoch & Strathspey to benefit from repurposed COVID and PBIF funding

A variety of community projects will benefit from vital funding after Members of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee agreed to repurpose money from its COVID-19 fund and Place Based Investment Fund. 

It was agreed at a meeting of the Highland Council on 7 January 2021 that Wards with unspent COVID-19 funds could decide to spend this on projects that would assist children and adults post-COVID, especially within deprived areas. 

Also approved today was the decision to allocate previously approved Ward 20 Place Based Investment Funds from an identified project underspend. 

Members agreed to repurpose COVID-19 funds to the following projects: 

• Laggan Forest Trust - Cycling Participation Programme Newtonmore, Kingussie & Alvie Primary School Children. Members agreed that all children across Badenoch and Strathspey should ideally be included, therefore they approved £2,500 of the £5,000 asked for. Members said they would like to see further proposals which would benefit all children. 

• Voluntary Action in Badenoch & Strathspey (VABS) – Volunteering Fayre - £2,790 (Approved). 

• Cairngorms Orchestra - COVID resilience - £1,956 (Approved). 

Outgoing Chair of Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee, Cllr Bill Lobban, said: “Members are acutely aware of how important outdoor activities are in the lives of young people. Having quality, accessible outdoor sports will have a very positive impact on their general wellbeing. 

“The impacts of COVID-19 have been felt across the age ranges and the allocations agreed today will provide opportunities to develop active recreation for young people in the Ward.” 

Approval was also given to repurpose allocations of Ward 20 Place Based Investment Funds towards the following projects: 

• Am Fasgadh Regeneration Company (ARC) - Indian Contingent Force K6 Memorial Phase 2 - £14,200 (approved) 

• Aviemore & Glenmore Community Trust (AGCT) –   Aviemore Ice rink Development £4,968 (approved) 

• Abernethy Bowling Club – Nethy Bridge Bowling Green - £6,000 (approved). Committee has approved a sum of £6,000. 

Cllr Lobban commented: “This Committee previously agreed the Ward’s Place Based Investment Fund allocations on 15 February 2022. 

“We identified a projected PBIF underspend across these previously approved allocations and we are pleased to be able to maintain our commitment to these important community projects today by reallocating that underspend.” 

Whilst members were supportive of repurposing £4,068 for the Cairngorm Mountain Trust -   Badenoch & Strathspey School Skiing 2023 and £10,000 for Kingussie Camanachd Club - Market Stance Playing Field Upgrade Phase 2 they agreed to defer them to a special meeting of the Area Committee to be discussed further. 

Full details of all funding proposals considered by Committee can be found on Highland Council’s website.