Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee Members today (12 February 2024) approved Community Regeneration Funding for a host of worthy 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 Place Based Investment Programme, which is a Scottish Government Funding stream to support economic regeneration and sustainable development in Highland.
The total funding available to members of the Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee for 2023/24 is ÂŁ223,792.44.
The Area Committee today considered six applications for funding, totalling ÂŁ127,674.40.
Chair of Badenoch and Strathspey Area Committee, Cllr Russell Jones, said:
“It is always pleasing for Members to approve grant applications from projects like these, which will deliver tangible benefits to our communities.” Â
Funding for the following projects was granted by members earlier today (12 February 2024):
- Kingussie Camanachd Club – upgrading of floodlights for the Market Stance Playing Fields – ÂŁ15,000.
- Newtonmore Playpark upgrade – ÂŁ30,000.
- Kingussie Tennis Club – Phase 3 upgrade (installation of irrigation system and upgrade of blaes playing surface – ÂŁ17,860.
- Dalwhinnie Community Development Trust – ÂŁ27,718.80 for hall insulation, replacement lighting and heating with a low carbon, energy efficient system.
- Kingussie and Vicinity Community Council – Regeneration of Glebe Pond – ÂŁ31,095.60.
- Carrbridge Community Orchard – Phase 2 Developments to make the orchard more accessible, enjoyable and educational for everyone – ÂŁ6,000.
Members also agreed to ringfence an allocation of ÂŁ80,000 of Community Regeneration Funding 2023/24 towards the Member identified priority of refurbishment of the pedestrian link at Glenmore.
Councillors agreed to request that the full application for funds is brought for consideration at a future committee. Â
Members further agreed to ringfence the remaining balance (ÂŁ16,118.04) within the 2023/24 allocation to deliver area priorities identified through work to develop an area-based plan, subject to full applications being brought to a future committee meeting for consideration.
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