£600k boost for projects

MARC MCLEAN

- 

More than 30 community groups and organisations across Dumfries and Galloway are in line to share just over £600,000 in coastal benefit funding.

Projects receiving a much-welcome cash boost range from a community solar farm to a wheelyboat for people with disabilities.

Councillors on the education, skills and community wellbeing committee are being asked to approve the awards at a meeting on May 12, following a competitive application process that attracted 64 bids—with four subsequently withdrawn.

The remaining 60 applications were assessed by a scoring panel made up of council officers and community planning partners, with demand far outstripping supply.

The total funding pot available for community groups stands at just over £600,000, but the applications submitted were requesting combined funding of around £1.5 million.