Published on:
14
December 2012
Clackmannanshire Council have announced the successful groups who will get a share of £100,000 worth in grants available to local communities in a bid to improve quality of life in the county.
The new Community Environmental Improvement Fund, open to communities across Clackmannanshire, was launched in September by the Enterprise and Environment Committee.
To receive a grant, projects had to demonstrate that they must contribute to the improvement of public services by potentially reducing the Council's net budgeted expenditure and will protect and enhance the environment.
Each community was able to apply for one project up to a maximum of £10,000, with the minimum grant being £4,000. In exceptional cases where projects can demonstrate a wide range of physical environmental benefits within a community, a larger award could be awarded.
This week it was announced that 11 projects will receive £99,823 in funding to improve the environment around Clackmannanshire.
Enterprise and Environment Committee Convener, Councillor Donald Balsillie said: "The cash could be used by providing, restoring or improving community environmental resources such as parks, community gardens, reduction of waste, reuse, recycling or use of environmentally friendly materials, gardens, local green spaces, woodlands or paths.
"The fund is also aimed at establishing community and special interest groups with the goal of improving their local environment; improving degraded land, main streets and neighbourhoods for public benefit.
"We want to create communities that are, and feel, safer, by addressing crime and the fear of crime, creating safer places for people to meet and take exercise."
Five of the 11 successful applicants have received the maximum £10,000 grants. They are: Alloa Town Centre Business Improvement District; Central Scotland Forest Trust; Clackmannanshire Riders Access Group; Menstrie Community Council; and St Serf's Primary School, Tullibody.
Alloa Town Centre Business Improvement District, for their scheme "Alloa Our Beautiful Town," are to use the money to remove chewing gum from town centre paths, install new bins and put in additional floral displays.
Menstrie Community Council are to use the cash to develop a Community Garden in Menstrie, while St Serf's Primary are going to create a Jubilee Garden, including a footpath, woodland planting, orchard planting, seating and a sandpit.
The other successful applicants were: Disability Awareness Group, who received £9485 for footpath improvements at Gartmorn Dam Country Park; OLP Menstrie Glen, who are getting £6715; OLP Tillicoultry Glen, who will receive £9145; Park Primary School, who will get £9990; Sauchie Active8, who will get £4500; and St Bernadette's Primary, who will receive £9988 for a natural play project.
The criteria laid down for a grant is that the projects awarded funding must be completed by the end of March, 2013.