Tom McEwan

In March 2023, it was agreed that a further £400,000 will be committed for the CIF, and £200,000 will be given to LAPs.

The council’s CIF aims to involve local people and communities in decisions about how Council funding is distributed and spent. It supports investment in projects which tackle local inequalities and improve people’s quality of life.

The CIF budget is divided and administered on a ward-by-ward basis, with a Ward Panel made up of local community members and local elected members assessing applications from the community and agreeing funding. Any community organisation, big or small, can apply for funding.

So far, just over £2m of Council funds have been allocated to grassroots organisations through CIF, supporting almost 400 individual applications from community groups for local support services.

Perth and Kinross’s seven LAPs will be expected to spend the majority of their funding through participatory budgeting. This process allows local organisations to pitch for funding for projects, with a particular focus on tackling climate change. People in communities then vote to decide which projects they would like to see taken forward. This puts decisions about where Council money is spent into the hands of local people.

A meeting of the Housing and Social Wellbeing Committee on Wednesday 21st June will be asked to approve the breakdown and distribution of this funding to the 12 council ward areas and the seven LAPs. The funding each area will receive is based on its population.

CIF applications would open from 26th June to organisations that have not applied for funding previously, and the participatory budgeting programme is expected to begin by the end of October.

Committee convener, Councillor Tom McEwan, said: “This funding will continue to empower communities to make important decisions about what kind of services and support they need, and how they can tackle inequality in their local areas.

“Residents will once again have the opportunity to take the lead in shaping the future of their communities and creating positive change.

“I am delighted that we can once again make this significant budget available. People in our local communities hold the key to unlocking the potential of our region, and this funding aims to support their visions and aspirations as well as the Council’s key priorities.”