Community groups in Lanarkshire are being urged to submit bids to the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund.
MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson, is calling on local groups to get involved after the UK Government opened up the second round of the fund which is worth £150 million.
The fund can allow community groups to take control of pubs, music venues, sports facilities, historic buildings and other facilities for the benefit of the public, which could otherwise be lost forever.
The first round of the UK Government’s fund saw six groups in Scotland share more than £1.2m in funding.
Now, Mr Simpson has called on community groups to come together to bid for funding to help support the buildings that mean the most to them in Lanarkshire.
The eligibility criteria for the fund has also been extended meaning more groups in across the region can apply.
Graham Simpson MSP said: “It is welcome to see this fund from the UK Government open up once again.
“The first round of funding delivered significant funding to help save much loved assets across Scotland and I would encourage community groups in Lanarkshire to bid for it.
“If constituents know of a facility that they do not wish to lose from the community, then the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund could help to safeguard it.
“Successful bids can enable community assets to thrive once again as well as helping accelerate the economic recovery in region.
“The Community Ownership Fund is just one example of how the UK Government is directly investing and supporting communities in Lanarkshire.”
The fund has been updated to widen eligibility criteria, including removing the requirement that assets have had a use within the last five years and will now consider any asset which has had a previous community use, massively expanding the projects eligible to apply.
Applicants who have a minimum of a 15-year lease on an asset would now also be considered for funding. Previously, leases were restricted to a minimum of 25 years.
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