Groups grab share of windfarm grant cash

Community councils and other local organisations have benefited from more than £80,000 in grants during the past year.

The money has come from the Renewable Energy Fund (REF) micro grants scheme, which enables Community Councils or organisations within an eligible 10km area of a contributing windfarm development to apply for a maximum £5,000 on an annual basis.

Community Councils can then promote, administer and award micro grants of up to £500 within that Community Council area.

In 2020/21, the total number of successful applications to date has been 21, from 19 Community Councils and two other community organisations, with a total value of £83,583 awarded. Since 2004, the council has collected and administered Community Benefit Funding through Planning and Economic Development Services.

The service is responsible for securing the contributions from developers, advising potential applicants, assessing applications and monitoring projects to ensure that the community benefits associated with each project are delivered.

Chairman of South Lanarkshire Council’s community and enterprise resources committee, Councillor John Anderson, said:“I am delighted that so many community councils and other groups have been able to benefit from this fund.

“Feedback from Community Councils and groups has been very positive in that micro grants allow local groups to make local decisions, support local communities’initiatives and enable access to funds.

“In turn this also promotes the REF among local communities which will hopefully stimulate larger projects and increase access to the fund.”

The recent Community and Enterprise Committee approved the continuation of this funding after April 2021 and beyond the successful initial two year period.

More information on the micro grants is available from the council website.