Lintel Trust has approved £60,000 worth of funds from the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s (SPA) Community Benefit Fund for six local community projects.

The awards are the first of the new financial year.

The community projects were nominated by the SPA Founder Partners and compliment the Community Benefit Clause of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, adding to the value achieved through procurement activities.

Projects include:

Lintel Trust, part of the Link group of social enterprises, and SPA have been working together to distribute up to £300,000 in grant awards across Scotland. The SPA Community Benefit Fund is accumulated from procurement efficiencies generated by SPA partners from procurement of construction and refurbishment works to social housing stock.

A total of £130,000 was awarded to 13 different community projects during 2017/18 and feedback proves the benefits achieved by the projects far outweigh the sums of money awarded.

Kate Christie, senior business development officer at Lintel Trust, said: “The outcomes of last year’s projects were impressive – evidence housing associations and local authorities have their fingers on the pulse of what communities need. The quality of projects approved this year is further evidence of this. It is really encouraging to see two successful pilot projects from last year have been extended to include additional areas.”

Clive Feeney, director at Scottish Procurement Alliance, added: “Social value underpins the aims of the Scottish Procurement Alliance and we are delighted with the positive outcomes from the first year of the Community Benefit Fund. We are all excited to see the projects put forward for this year’s funding and the direct impact they will have on the tenants and communities involved.”