Lukewarm response to request for Town Centre Fund feedback

ANGUS residents have given a lukewarm reaction to how a million-pound community cash pot should be spent on sprucing up town centres.

With the consultation deadline now passed for the Town Centre Fund scheme, council chiefs have said that while some “exciting” ideas have come forward, they’d like to have seen more local feedback.

The £1.08 million windfall is the Angus share of £50m made available to councils across Scotland to support town centres under an action plan aimed at increasing trade, encouraging town centre living and enhancing community empowerment.

Councillors started the consultation in June.

The distribution will see Arbroath receive £312,000, Brechin £94,000, Carnoustie £148,000, Forfar £184,000, K i r r i e m u i r £ 7 7, 0 0 0 , Monifieth £107,000 and Montrose £156,000.

Communities are also now in a race against time since the rules require projects to be completed by September next year – or the money must go back.

The consultation offered up a range of possible projects in the seven burghs, with the public invited to add their own ideas.

They included ideas on two major 2020 milestones – the 700th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath and the 200th anniversary of Brechin Cathedral.

Forfar’s West Port could be a target for £150,000 of improvements, while i n Carnoustie an underpass leading to the golf course has been highlighted.

Other suggestions included a £20,000 upgrade of Kirriemuir public toilets and a six-figure improvement programme centred on the historic closes of Montrose.

An Angus Council spokesman said: “A final report will go to the full council in September.”