Easter Ross members agree to fund important community resources from its Place Based Investment Fund

Community resources, including playparks, are set to benefit from new investment after Easter Ross Area Committee members agreed to approve a series of applications for Place Based Investment Funds (PBIF).

Following on from the budget agreed by Highland Council in March last year, a £100,000 Place Based Investment Fund was allocated to each Ward for the 2021/22 financial year.

The fund is intended to allow a local response to address the four harms of COVID, which are identified as direct health harms; health impacts not directly related to COVID; and societal impacts and economic impacts.

Members agreed to reallocate £12,000 originally agreed from PBIF for the intended Play Ranger post to the provision of play equipment, providing a total pot of £97,500 of Place Based Investment Funds to allocate to Ward 6 Cromarty Firth.

At today’s meeting of Easter Ross Area Committee Members agreed the use of £97,500 from its £100,000 Ward allocation to fund the following from the Place Based Investment Fund for Ward 6 Cromarty Firth:

• £10,0000 for playpark provision in Novar Crescent, Evanton
• £10,000 for playpark provision in Milnafua, Alness
• £10,000 for playpark provision in Westford, Alness
• £10,000 for playpark provision in Shillinghill, Alness
• £5,000 for accessible play equipment for South Lodge Primary
• £15,000 investment in Evanton, Alness, Invergordon cycle path to support Active Travel
• £3,000 for an automated locking system for Alness toilets to prevent ongoing vandalism issues
• £20,000 to support Invergordon Social Club for a feasibility study to consider their future development to ensure sustainability
• £14,500 for the creation of community grants funding stream for community group to apply for grants of up to £5,000 for projects to address one or more of the four harms of COVID.

Members further agreed the use of £97,500 from its £100,000 Ward allocation to fund the following from the Place Based Investment Fund for Ward 7 Tain and Easter Ross:

• £2,500 for investment in playpark provision in Pinewood Crescent, Tain
• £850 to make a new chain for the Tain Links chain climbing wall
• £5,000 for playpark provision at Chapel Brae, Portmahomack
• £28,000 for playpark provision at Woodlands Drive, Milton and at Milton MGA
• £2,000 for playpark provision at Redspur Gardens, Fearn
• £2,000 for playpark provision at Cameron Place, Nigg to provide landscaped play
• £3,300 for playpark provision at Balintore (Abbotshaven Junior and Senior)
• £2,000 for playpark provision at Hilton Seaside
• Provision of a small grants stream of £51,850 to address the harms of COVID open for applications of up to £10,000

Members further agreed that some of the remaining funding should be spent on traffic calming measures for the ward, including the purchase of two new “Smileys” (speed reduction signs).