Boosts for voluntary body and food scheme but allotment charges rise
The administration budget voted through will bring £32,000 of additional funding to Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise“to recognise the remarkable impact they have had in Stirling’s response to Covid-19”and help them as they move to recovery.
The administration also pledged £52,000 towards dementiafriendly initiatives and £150,000 to support food security initiatives.
But Green Dunblane and Bridge of Allan councillor Alasdair Tollemache questioned an allotment charge increase for a full standard plot from £122 to £124.
He said:“That is a small amount but I think it’s significant in the context of the council wanting communities to grow more food. And in particular in Bridge of Allan allotments where they have been flooded twice.”
Finance chief Jim Boyle said: “Clearly we have to consider the impact of any increase in charges we make. We have to increase the financial position overall in the council. It would be easy not to make any changes to any of our fees and charges but that would clearly deprive the council of much-needed revenue to maintain services.”
Tory opposition leader Councillor Neil Benny said while he knew Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise needed money he thought it was important to hear from other third sector organisations before making a decision on the distribution of funding.
He also questioned the amount being ploughed into food insecurity, saying it was a “significant”amount of money for something already being done in the community and that supermarkets should be brought to the table on this.
Labour Stirling East councillor Chris Kane said there had been a “massive”growth in volunteering over the pandemic and this funding gave a“real opportunity to embed that volunteering as we come out of the pandemic”.
Cllr Kane praised the work being done tackling food insecurity, such as pupils being brought into school kitchens for work experience which he said was “remarkable”and wanted to“step up and do more”.