City Council agrees £565,000 for projects across Aberdeen

08 June 2015

City councillors have agreed to distribute more than half a million pounds to community projects across Aberdeen from the underspend on the 2014/15 budget.

A sum of £100,000 will be spent on improvements to Seaton Park, along with further sums for other park improvement schemes at Auchmill Terrace (£25,000), Cairncry Community Centre (£45,000), and Halfield Road (£3,000).

Some £100,000 will go towards improvements at Hazlehead Pets Corner, and £40,000 for work on the David Welch Winter Gardens Education Room at Duthie Park.

Finance, Policy and Resources Committee members also agreed unanimously to allocate £100,000 for youth work and under-12s clubs across the city's regeneration areas and in Mastrick, and £100,000 to Transition Extreme.

Hilton Outdoor Centre is set to receive £25,000 for upgrades, £10,000 will go to the Men's Shed social club charity in Dyce, the city's two Sea Cadets groups will share £10,000, and Old Torry Community Centre will receive £7,000 for an internal improvement scheme.

The £565,000 total has come from the £7.5million underspend on the revenue budget in the last financial year, which represents 1.18% of the gross revenue spend in 2014/15.

Committee convener Councillor Willie Young said: "The financial prudence of this Council has allowed us to spend sums of money on a whole range of schemes which are important for our communities.

"The Accounts Commission local authority watchdogs will soon publish a Best Value report which highlights the fact that Aberdeen City Council now has a record of sound financial management, with strong balances and with healthy reserves to allow us to plan strategically for the future.

"The care we have taken with citizens' money has given us this opportunity to focus on the needs of many communities across Aberdeen. These sums will make a big difference to very many areas and help to improve the lives of the people who live there."

The committee will receive a further report in due course on progress on the spending of the sums which have been allocated.