Community funding

Questions have been raised over the funding given by Argyll and Bute Council to community councils in its area.

At a recent meeting of the policy and resources committee, it was agreed that council officers should examine concerns about the current terms of discretionary community council grants.

Nearly £25,000 is given by the local authority to community councils as administrative grants, with nearly £7,000 more given in discretionary grants out of reserves of £10,000.

Three community councils – Islay, Cairndow and Tiree – have requested additional funding from the council, but Councillor Gary Mulvaney was reluctant to explore the possibility. He said: ‘I am comfortable with the recommendations, but let’s have a look at setting a budget in view of some of the really difficult decisions. There is some really difficult stuff when you look at school crossing patrols, the road safety unit, and yet you have this chunk of money that sits there and we haven’t focused on it at all.’

Douglas Hendry, the council’s executive director of customer services, called on community councils to recognise the financial challenges facing the authority.

He said: ‘There is a question in there for community councils, given the overall financial stringencies as to how to use funds that are available.’