Questions have been raised about how community funding is being promoted in West Lothian, after a second hard-hit area struggled to find any takers for more than £16,000.
Last week it was reported that Blackburn had not received applications for a share of £10,000 in improvement funding - and this week councillors in Armadale were told they had the same issue with finding takers for their share of the Scottish Government Town Centre Fund.
Council officers admitted they may have to look at the way the fund is organised to encourage more community groups to come forward.
READ MORE: Hard-hit West Lothian town to lose £10,000 after few takers for community fund
The thought of the money “returning” to the coffers in Livingston saw the three local councillors, Labour, Independent and SNP, agreeing that the unclaimed money should be earmarked for schemes to improve Armadale rather than be lost to the community.
Independent Stuart Borrowman told the meeting he felt “queasy” about sending the money back to Livingston given the recent underfunding on the ward which also contains Blackridge and small villages on the western fringe of the county.
Lead officer for the Armadale and Blackridge Local Area Committee, the depute Chief Executive Dr Elaine Cook said: “We are looking at reviewing community empowerment. Can we review how we do these things and can we improve things for community empowerment in general.”
The Scottish Government Town Centre Fund is made every year to all settlements in Scotland with a population of over £1,000. The money has to be spent on projects to improve the fabric or appearance of town centres.
Michelle Kirkbright, the community regeneration officer for the ward said that a total of £41,692 had been allocated, £13,192 for Blackridge and £28,500 for Armadale. All of the Blackridge fund was allocated but only £12,260 in Armadale.
The projects which have benefited in Armadale are a sensory garden at the Dale community hub and to the community council for projects to mark the Platinum Jubilee, providing street furniture and revitalising the old war memorial site.
Committee chair Councillor Andrew McGuire asked: “Am I correct in saying the LAC can make recommendations as to what they would like to do with the money?".
SNP councillor Lynda Kenna suggested that the money be brought back rather than go into a general West Lothian pot.
Councillor Borrowman said: “I think the thing that’s making all of us queasy is sending money back to Livingston. We don’t do well out of Livingston. It's certainly making me queasy.”
Dr Cook said: “If you are worried about the £16,000 going back. I would suggest that if you come up with recommendations for full £16,000. I have not been at an Executive when they have not gone with recommendations the LAC until now.
Councillor Borrowman said: “There’s a debate to be had about the future of town centres. Have our town centres made an effort to generate ideas that would absorb this money into Armadale?”.
Ms Kirkbright said: “We sent it out to all contacts in each ward asking them to contact us directly if they had proposals. It was slow, people coming back to us. I think I sent it out three of four times. I did a blanket call to all people on my contacts list. I did speak to some groups who felt they didn't have projects they could deliver within the timescales. I did speak to one group who did not feel able to submit because they had outstanding monitoring from the last round of funding.”
Councillor Borrowman said: “ I’d like to have seen useful ways to spend £16,000 in the town centre.
Councillor McGuire said: “I concur entirely with Stuart’s motion. ”
Councillor Kenna agreed, saying Armadale is in the second highest level of deprivation. "That alone should be factor when deciding what to do with the £16,000.”
It was unanimously agreed by councillors that £1,240 more be allocated to the Dale sensory garden and £15,000 set aside for town centre improvement projects incorporating four streets. Final agreement will come from the Council Executive.
