Funds available to improve communities

05 December 2017

Community groups across Aberdeen are invited to bid for a share of funding worth £70,000 for projects that benefit local people.

Aberdeen City Council and Fairer Aberdeen have committed funding for projects in four priority areas:

£15,000 for projects in Torry;

£15,000 for projects in Northfield, Middlefield, Cummings Park, Heathryfold and Mastrick;

£15,000 for projects in Seaton, Tillydrone and Woodside; and

£25,000 for projects in George Street, Castlehill, Pittodrie and the city centre.

This is the latest in a series of projects in the City Council’s participatory budgeting programme, known as UDECIDE. The scheme allows residents to directly decide how money is allocated in their local community.

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader and chair of Community Planning Aberdeen, Councillor Jenny Laing said: “I am pleased that we are once again providing opportunities for residents to help shape their local communities.

“Projects such as UDECIDE are crucial for successful locality planning as it helps residents to engage in public service decision making ensuring that local needs and desires are implemented.

“I would encourage anyone who has an idea for a project in one of our priority areas to submit a bid. We’ve had some really creative ideas in the past and I’m sure this instance will be no different.”

Groups and organisations in each area can download an application form from www.aberdeencity.gov.uk/udecide. The closing date for all applications is Wednesday 31 January 2018.

Each area has its own criteria that bidders must meet and applications in each area must not exceed £3,000. Bids can be made for more than one project but the total of all bids should be no more than £5,000, or £3,000 in Northfield, Middlefield, Cummings Park, Heathryfold and Mastrick.

Voting days will take place next year where members of the community will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite projects and winning bids will be announced.

A number of projects have benefited from Aberdeen City Council’s UDECIDE scheme. Last year forty community projects across three regeneration areas successfully secured funds totalling £250,000 after a public vote and £100,000 was issued to residents living in three multi-storey blocks to improve their living environment.

Furthermore two participatory budgeting projects are currently underway in the city. The City Council has allocated £30,000 to upgrade and improve unused green space within the heart of Torry and council tenants will have their say on how £75,000 will be spent to improve Wales Street near the Beach Boulevard.