Aberdeenshire Council approves £3.4m funding for local projects

Strichen Town House Project has received a £69,366 funding boost

Aberdeenshire Council has approved funding for 21 local projects from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund with a combined value of £3.4m committed in Round 1.

The fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, investing in communities and place, supporting local business, as well as people and skills.

This month, Aberdeenshire UKSPF Investment Plan has enabled a wide variety of activities to be supported - from the improvement of community buildings and facilities, business support schemes and initiatives aimed at supporting adult numeracy, cost-of-living advice services and improving skills to enhance employability.

Successful Improving Places bids include new paths and sustainable travel routes around Aboyne and Torphins, 3G all-weather sports pitches at Ellon and Inverurie, and a Pump Track at Peterhead.

Supporting Local Business initiatives include Aberdeenshire Council’s ‘Enterprising Aberdeenshire’ project which will provide locality-based advice and support to new and existing businesses across the area.

Employability and Local Skills Programmes will be carried out by Barnardo’s and North East Scotland College with ‘Multiply’ adult numeracy programmes delivered by The Workers Educational Association and Lead Scotland.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK Government's Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment across the UK by March 2025, aiming to provide a transition from European Community Funds from 2023.

The full list of projects is as follows:

Turriff CCTV Extension Project Friends of the Den - £42,897

Garioch Sports Community Football 3G Garioch Sports Trust Holdings - £247,833

Aboyne Castle Woods Path Mid Deeside Development Trust - £111,558

Glen Tanar Path Link Mid Deeside Development Trust - £95,318

Strichen Town House Project Strichen Town House Trust SCIO - £69,366

Peterhead Pump Track Peterhead Area Community Trust - £58,871

3G Synthetic Pitch Upgrade at the Meadows Sports Centre Ellon Community Sports Trust - £199,276

Dam Wood Path: Black Linn Burn-Glassel Road Torphins Pathway Group - £84,016

Revitalising Insch Bennachie Leisure Centre - £54,670

SSW Capital Project - Phase 1B Scottish Sculpture Workshop - £188,605

MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) Project Stonehaven Recreation Grounds - £28,698

Social Enterprise Huntly Huntly Development Trust - £59,313

Aberdeenshire Food and Drink Innovation Fund pilot Opportunity North East - £328,884

Tourism Business Game Changer Alumni Programme Visit Aberdeenshire - £83,000

Provenance Festival 2023/24 (Aberdeenshire Food & Drink Festival) Visit Aberdeenshire - £47,000

Fraserburgh Enterprise Hub Elevator (ENET Ltd) - £165,612

Everyone Counts Workers Educational Association - £82,820

Lead Scotland Numeracy Lead Scotland - £64,694

Employability & ESOL NESCol - £337,653

Access to Construction Barnardos - £88,258

Barnardos Employability programme Barnardos - £92,995

Enterprising Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire Council - £498,667

Digital Support for Business Aberdeenshire Council - £125,350

Rebirth and Repairs to St Brandon’s Inverboyndie, nr Whitehills Aberdeenshire Council - £49,999

Haughs Improved Access Project Construction Stage (Phase 2) Aberdeenshire Council - £149,475

Meanwhile, Round 2 of the fund is now open to a variety of public sector organisations, community groups, learning and business support organisations.

Details and eligibility for each programme within the fund can be found at: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/business/business-support/funding/uk-shared-prosperity-fund/

If your organisation has developed a project which is ready to be funded, please express an interest through the online form.

The key dates for the next application round are:

October 15 - deadline for expressions of interest

October 29 - deadline for full applications

November 17 - feedback issued to applicants

December 3 - application resubmission deadline

January 5 to March 7, 2024 - assessment and decisions on awarding funds

Aberdeenshire Council Leader Cllr Gillian Owen said: “I am delighted to see such a diverse range of projects and initiatives being supported with this Shared Prosperity funding. Such significant funding enables us as a council to continue to work hand in hand with our communities and partner organisations to further develop achievable and sustainable projects across Aberdeenshire for the benefit of so many.”

Deputy Leader Cllr Anne Stirling added: “Not only does this funding support the development of our communities and local infrastructure, it will improve our wonderful natural environment, our built and landscaped environment and support businesses and social enterprises to develop across Aberdeenshire.”

Paul Macari, Head of Planning and Economy at Aberdeenshire Council, said: “The Shared Prosperity Fund will provide a significant level of investment in Aberdeenshire in the coming years. There are a wide range of potential uses for the funds which can add value to existing funding programmes and I would strongly encourage community groups and businesses to submit expressions of interest by the October 15 deadline.”