Raft of community improvements carried out by council

A raft of community improvements has been carried out in Perth and Kinross.

More than 50 projects were delivered across the area during 2016 to 2017 as part of Perth and Kinross Council’s housing estate-based initiatives (EBI) programme, including creating additional car parking spaces, providing seating and picnic benches, installing security lighting and supplying a family seating area and bird tables at sheltered housing.

The EBI programme was introduced in 2015/16, providing funding for local projects on communal ground/property owned by the council’s housing revenue account. The projects had to demonstrate sustainability, contribute to community safety and improve the amenity of the local area.

Local EBI panels were established in four housing localities – North/Highland Perthshire, South Perthshire and Kinross, Perth City, and Letham/Hillyland. The panels include local tenants, residents and elected members, and involve community ‘walkabouts’, to which all local residents are invited.

Walkabouts have taken place in all four housing locality areas for the previous years of the project. This year’s walkabouts have already taken place in Letham and Hillyland, and dates for others have been planned.

A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “The shared discussions and observations from those walkabouts helped identify the initial list of potential projects, which were then assessed, and ranked by the local EBI panel before deciding which projects should go ahead initially.

“Since their introduction in 2015/16, EBIs have supported the completion of over 80 projects following 62 estate-based walkabouts which involved more than 200 people from local communities.”

The additional £50,000 allocated this year to support the scheme has increased the overall budget to £200,000. This will be used to help deliver some projects carried forward from 2016/17.