Members approve Community Regeneration Funding for various projects in Black Isle & Easter Ross

Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee Members today (22 January 2024) approved Community Regeneration Funding for a range of local projects. 

Community Regeneration Funding (CRF) is an umbrella term for a number of funds that are available for communities/organisations to access in Highland. 

It comprises elements of the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) along with the Highland Coastal Communities Fund and the Place Based Investment Programme, both of which are Scottish Government Funding streams to support economic regeneration and sustainable development in Highland. 

The total funds available to members of the Black Isle and Easter Ross Area Committee are £536,611.48. 

The Area Committee today considered 16 applications for funding, totalling £511,220.19. 

Funding for the following projects was granted by members earlier today (22 January 2024): 

• Cromarty and Resolis Film Society - Improving Cinema Accessibility project - £35,815. 

• Culbokie Community Trust – Culbokie Village Hub – Toilets & Potting Shed Stage - £30,000. 

• Ferntosh Community Hall – essential external wall repairs – £30,216. 

• Fearn Amenities (SCIO) – Fearn Abbey Commission work on a Feasibility Study and Business Plan for possible Community Asset Transfer of the Abbey by Fearn Amenities SCOI - £20,640. 

• Tain and Fearn Free Church – first phase of a new build development to serve the congregation and community activities – £46,000. 

• Fox & Friends Highlands Fox Trots project, which aims to provide adult only clubs and events in Easter Ross, Cromarty and Tain – helping to combat social isolation among adults - £30,000. 

• Inver Football Club – Osprey Park Community Sports Facility Project - £9,200. 

• North Kessock Village Hall – village hall enhancements to be fully accessible, secure and sustainable - £50,000. 

• Ross Sutherland Rugby Club – community space, sound proofing and kitchen completion - £25,000. 

• Tain Heritage Trust – Phase 3 works, re-instatement of toilets in main building – £65,000. 

• Tain Initiative Group = TIG Development Officer – to enable the TIG to progress a development of the site known as Mrs Baxter’s with consultation with stakeholders and the community - £33,000. 

• Seaboard Memorial Hall – Village Entrances Project - £43,643. 

• Evanton Community Trust – Community Development Project Manager – to employ a Community Development Project Manager to take forward existing projects and develop future ones - £28,860. 

• Fearn Amenities (SCIO) – Refurbishment of Playing Field Pavilion - £12,006. 

• Seaboard Community Polytunnel Group CIC – needs must fixtures and fittings - £9,000. 

• The Place Youth Club – The Place Drop In/The Field – funding for a Senior Youth Worker and rental costs and help meet demand as numbers have doubled - £42,840. 

All projects are required to meet at least one of the following priorities: 

• economic recovery 

• community resilience 

• mitigating the impact of the climate/ecological emergency 

• addressing the challenges of rural depopulation 

The projects should also be able to demonstrate they are: 

• sustainable/viable 

• providing value for money 

• providing additionality 

• able to evidence positive impacts and wide community benefit