RSS Press releases

Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Economic Development Capital Programme focuses on supporting projects that will promote the economic recovery and resilience of our region’s places, and on growing the productivity of our regional economy by facilitating local business expansions and attracting investment. Members of the Councils Economy and Resources Committee will receive a report on the progress of this at their meeting of 15 June. The current content of the Programme allows a figure of £2.36 million that will be available to Members to allocate to further proposals that will be brought forward in the coming months.

Many of the regeneration projects contained within the programme are led by local

communities, and this contributes to building local capacity and inclusive growth across our region. In this way, the Council are able to work with community projects to directly address local needs. Following funding from this Council, many of the projects are able to utilise this as leverage to acquire further allocations from other funding bodies.

The Programme contains a number of proposals that will support rural economic development by bringing forward projects that will promote the region as a visitor destination, rehabilitate our portfolio of rural business space and improve the quality of our region’s rural places.

The Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) is primarily aimed at providing new and/or

improved infrastructure to improve the economic, social, and physical environment of

communities. The Scottish Government is now accepting proposals for the 9th round.

The intent of the Place Based Investment Programme, is to link and align all place based funding initiatives to ensure there is a coherent approach to sustained longer term renewal, promoting the resilience, health and wellbeing of communities across Scotland. The focus of RCGF is for:

• Projects that primarily focus on areas that suffer from high levels of deprivation and disadvantage;
• Projects that demonstrate clear community involvement;

• Projects that will deliver large scale transformational change with strong regeneration outcomes; and
• Projects and programmes that can encourage additional investment and address market failure.

   

  Five Stage 1 submissions were made by our Council to the 8th Round of the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) in June 2020. These were for the

  following:

• Kelloholm Skills & Innovation Centre: recommended to proceed to Stage 2;
• Stranraer Water Sport Activity, Training & Regatta Centre: this was not

         recommended to proceed to Stage 2;

• A’ The Airts Phase 2 Expansion, Sanquhar: recommended to proceed to Stage 2;
• Lockerbie Old School Community Hub: recommended to proceed to Stage 2;
• Thornhill Old School Community Hub: recommended to proceed to Stage 2.

Due to issues presented by Covid-19 in relation to progress with technical development and/or co-funding and revenue planning, no projects were submitted at Stage 2. Work has now been undertaken to address these issues and E&R Committee will be asked to agree to these projects being the focus of Stage 1 submissions to the RCGF 9th Round.

An offer of grant was issued to our Council in May 2021 by the Scottish Government amounting to £1,029,000 as part of its Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP). The aim of the PBIP is to ensure that all place based investments are shaped by the needs and aspirations of local communities and accelerate ambitions for place. Members will be asked to consider two projects as targets for Place Based Investment Programme grant awards during the current financial year 2021/22: Dumfries Midsteeple Quarter: The Oven, and Sanquhar: A the Airts Phase 2 Expansion.

In addition, this Council will also deliver projects and programmes as part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.

Chair of Economy and Resources Committee, Rob Davidson said: “In addition to the above, this Council will also deliver projects and programmes as part of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal. This should provide a fuller coverage of all our place-based projects over the coming year. We very much wish to concentrate on local needs, which is why it is vitally important that we work together with our communities to achieve the results they desire.”

Vice Chair Archie Dryburgh said: “Due to COVID-19 there is currently price inflation in the construction industry and it is likely that as Cost Plans are reviewed, and tenders are returned, our delivery partners may require additional allocations of capital funding to bridge the gap and enable their projects to proceed to delivery and to maximise their chances of proceeding and brining much needed construction work for our local supply chains. Please be assured that our council will be there to provide support and, if possible funding, in any way we can through these difficult times.”

To read the full report go to: https://dumfriesgalloway.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=551&MId=5188