Oban causes cash in on fund

A POT of cash for Oban projects has seen a flurry of money given to more than 13 initiatives since the year began.

Addiction service Oasis, Glencruitten Cathedral of Trees and Oban Wind and Wave Club were all beneficiaries of the Oban Common Good Fund – one of the biggest pots of charity cash available to town causes.

A Freedom of Information request to Argyll and Bute Council shows that as of February 10, 2017, the Oban Common Good Fund was worth £289,265.

Trustees can only disburse the income received from the investments held, which varies with market conditions. This financial year the total for distribution was £ 35,000.

It was confirmed that there are no outstanding commitments for funding from the Oban Common Good Fund.

Minutes show that over the past five years of the Common Good Fund chairperson Elaine Robertson has tried to raise the profile of the group and encourage a larger number of people to apply for funding.

Mrs Robertson has also invited non- elected members onto the group and allowed access to the public for information.

Projects funded and reported in late 2016 early 2017 are as follows:

Oban Communities Trust, £ 5,000; Argyllshire Gathering, £1,500; BID4Oban, £600 for banners and bunting; Hope Kitchen, £ 3,000; Oasis, £2,600; Glencruitten Cathedral of Trees, £2,500; Grab Trust, £ 3,000 for a van; North Argyll Carers’ Centre, £750 for armchairs; Oban Music Society, £ 300 towards a piano; Hope to Oban, £2,200; a Mod Acad- emy, £1,500; the MS Centre, £2,227.50; Oban High School New York Experience, £1,800; Oban Wind and Wave Club, £1,000; Soroba Community Enterprise, £761.98; Oban Hockey Club, up to £750.

A decision on an application from the Argyllshire Gathering was moved to a meeting after May.