3. Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde (GRI) Community Led Local Development (CLLD) Update - Report
Renfrewshire Council · 27 August 2024
Back to Economy and Regeneration Policy Board — 27 August 2024 and its agenda
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Economy and Regeneration Policy Board On: 27 August 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde (GRI) LEADER / Community Led Local Development (CLLD) Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report provides an update on delivery of the Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde (GRI) Community Led Local Development (CLLD) programme for 2023/24. 1.2 The report also outlines the proposed approach for delivery for 2024/25, which has been agreed with the Local Action Group (LAG) and our partner local authorities, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, to meet CLLD requirements. 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: a) Note the range and depth of rural based projects which were funded and successfully delivered during 2023/24. b) Note the offer from Scottish Government to award £150,347.90 to the Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde area for the delivery of the Community Led Local Development programme for 2024/25. c) Agree that Renfrewshire Council continues to act as Lead Partner and Accountable Body for the Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde area. d) Agree to the continuation of the present delegated authority to Head of Economy and Development for the delivery of programme requirements.
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3. Background: Community Led Local Development (CLLD) Programme 3.1 Scottish Government introduced the Community Led Local Development (CLLD) Programme in 2023/24. The Greater Renfrewshire and Inverclyde (GRI) programme covers the rural areas of Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde, supporting community groups and organisations to deliver projects that provide local benefit and tackle challenges identified in the GRI LAG Community Led Vision (CLV). 3.2 A Local Action Group (LAG) comprising representatives from community council/groups, third sector, businesses, residents, the three local authorities and wider stakeholders develops the CLV actions and takes any funding decisions. 3.3 Roles and responsibilities are: Scottish Government (Scottish Rural Network) are the Managing Authority and Paying Agency for the programme. Renfrewshire Council act as Lead Partner and Accountable Body. Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils are represented on the Local Action Group. 4. CLLD Review 2023/24 4.1 Scottish Government awarded the GRI LAG £218,454 funding to deliver CLLD programme requirements to 31 March 2024. 4.2 An original allocation of £88,454 for revenue projects in May 2023, with an additional £130,000 allocated in June 2023 for capital projects, following a successful LAG funding submission. The total allocation of £218,454 was significantly short of the original GRI LAG Business Plan requirement and request for funding around the figure of £361,153. 4.3 Revenue funding was used to design and deliver a Small Grants Revenue Scheme with funding of between £2,500 - £5,000 available for successful applicants. Capital funding was utilised through a Capital Grants Scheme with funding of between £10,000 - £25,000 available for successful applicants. 4.4 LAG funding is allocated through a competitive application process. Eligibility to bid is open to any community led project which advances LAG and Scottish Government priorities and supports communities in the designated LAG areas. 26 expressions of interest were received for GRI LAG support and all were invited to submit a full application. 15 applied for the small grants revenue scheme with 8 receiving funding. 11 applied for the capital grants scheme with 6 receiving funding. 4.5 A list of all successful projects is noted at Appendix 1 of this report.
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4.6 Unsuccessful applications were rejected for a combination of reasons, including: a lack of detail in applications; unclear targets and outcomes; insufficient beneficiary numbers; doubts on the logistics of the suggested approach and / or ability to deliver in timescales required; lack of necessary permissions; and inadequate risk assessment. 4.7 The late receipt of funding and the requirement for all projects to be completed, invoiced and paid prior to 31 March 2024 did present a number of challenges, in particular for capital submissions. So, not all funding could be allocated at this point. The LAG decided therefore to offer an opportunity for groups to bid for funding to support Community Engagement Projects that advance community development and address Scottish Government’s priority to ‘help families and services through the cost of living crisis’. 4.8 Four community groups successfully bid for funding and delivered a range of local projects.A further list of successful projects in attached at Appendix 2 to this report. 4.9 A total of £185,130 (84.7%) of the potential grant allocation of £218,454 was spent in 2023/24 - an end of year underspend of £33,324 (15.3%). 5. CLLD Delivery 2024 / 25 5.1 Scottish Government has offered an initial tranche of funding of up to £150,347.90 to Renfrewshire Council as the accountable body for the GRI LAG to deliver CLLD programme requirements to 31 March 2025. The grant offer has been accepted by the council. 5.2 The £150, 347 is broken down as £68,550.61(revenue) and £81,797.28 (capital). 5.3 GRI LAG has decided to utilise the allocated funding through delivery of a Revenue Grants Scheme with funding of between £5,000 - £10,000 available for successful applicants. A Capital Grants Scheme is also available with funding of between £10,000 - £25,000 for successful applicants. 5.4 Allocation of funds will continue through a competitive application process. Eligibility to bid is open to any community led or business project which advances LAG and Scottish Government priorities and supports communities in the designated LAG areas. 5.5 GRI LAG members, as well as Council officials from all three local authority areas, are marketing the opportunities and liaising with a range of eligible local groups with a view to maximising expressions of interest, submissions and spend against available funds. Information is also available on the GRI LAG website (www.grilag.com) 6. Future Reporting 6.1 It is proposed that a further update report(s) be provided to Board at a date(s) to be agreed. _________________________________________________________________
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Implications of the Report 1. Financial – No additional finance is sought. Funding of £150,347.90 has been allocated by Scottish Government for the 2024/25 period. 2. HR & Organisational Development – 2 posts within Economic Development (amount to 0.6 FTE equivalent) are currently financially supported through CLLD Funds. These posts will continue to be partially supported through this new funding allocation. 3. Community/Council Planning – Partnership working is essential to the success of the CLLD Programme. Economic Development colleagues from East Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils and from the Renfrewshire LEP will be significantly involved in the planning and delivery of programme requirements. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 6. Information Technology – None. 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. 8. Health & Safety – None. 9. Procurement – None. 10. Risk – None. 11. Privacy Impact - None. 12. Climate Risk – None. 13. Children’s Rights – None. 14. COSLA Policy Position – Not Applicable. ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers 23 August 2023 – GRI CLLD Update Report ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Michael Moran, Assistant Economic Development Manager Email: michael.moran@renfrewshire.gov.uk The foregoing background papers will be retained within Chief Executive’s Service For inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Michael Moran, Assistant Economic Development Manager – michael.moran@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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Appendix 1 – Projects supported and grant allocations 2023/24 Small grant revenue projects These were available for projects requiring LAG funding between £2,500 - £5,000. Project Description LAG funding KLAS Care – Linwood Families Together Provision of a free to use warm space, free access to food, period products, school uniforms and charging sockets for phones to the local community. £5,000 Cosgrove Care - Warm Welcome 2023 Family Support Officer To fund a temporary Family Support Officer to provide support to vulnerable families who live in the rural areas of East Renfrewshire and are worried about the cost-of-living crisis. £5,000 Renfrew YMCA – Pathways to Possibilities Project primarily designed to support young people and families who are care experienced and/or have additional support needs during the cost-of-living crisis. It provided a meal for families once a week and an opportunity for young people to play together in a safe and comforting session. £4,920 Blooming Inverkip A community led gardening group seeking to further improve the wellbeing of their community by adapting their outdoor space and creating accessible vegetable borders and raised beds. The produce would then be given back to the community. £5,000 RIG Arts - Community Food Event A community funday in collaboration with Inverclyde Food Network to raise awareness of community growing spaces to help alleviate the cost-of-living crisis through increased access to locally grown, free, fresh produce. £5,000 The Folks Music project – Neilston Sunday Sessions 16 two-hour community traditional music jam sessions in the village of Neilston. Events intergenerational and free and open to all. £3,000 Propagate Scotland – Blether To employ two local people to open and manage a space to enable access to the community fridge and larder. £5,000 Financial Fitness - Financial Support for Rural Inverclyde 5 month’s salary support towards an adviser who aimed to provide outreach financial support to 250 additional Inverclyde residents from rural areas. £5,000
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Capital projects These were available for capital projects requiring LAG funding between £10,000 and £25,000. Project Description LAG funding Friends of Howwood Park - Howwood Park Pavilion Recladding of the external walls of the football pavilion. This funded the final stages of a wider park regeneration and allowed the pavilion to open and provide a valued service to the community. £25,000 Cycling Without Age - Cycling Without Age Scotland Inverclyde Purchase of two trishaws and training of volunteer pilots to take people of all ages, (although mainly elderly Gourock residents), on rides to experience their surroundings in a unique way. £20,000 Lapwing Lodge – Lapwing Lodge Improvements Window replacements at a multi-purpose outward-bound facility important to many communities within the GRI area. Work will reduce building heating costs. £20,000 Bridge of Weir Scouts – A Kitchen to Cook Support to create a fully functioning kitchen to provide the Scouts with many opportunities to participate in training activities, as well as making the venue a viable option for others to use for larger community events. £10,000 Lochwinnoch CDT Water and sewage work, toilets, storage and ground works to rejuvenate a local community facility. Extensive community engagement involved in the development of this project and the many environmental and social improvements it will achieve, and the additional spin off benefits by attracting an increased footfall to the village. £13,460 Parklee Branching Out Funding to ensure the existing Branching Out service remains secure and deliverable by enabling the construction of a safe and accessible bicycle storage facility. £10,000
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Appendix 2 - Community Engagement Projects These were introduced late in the financial year to support projects that advance community development and address a new Scottish Government priority to ‘help families through the cost of living crisis’. Project Description LAG funding Friends of Howwood Park - The Boarding House, Howwood 5 x lunchtime events at the Boarding House in Howwood. The events provided a hot lunch with hot drink for each person attending, and the opportunity for attendees to socialise with one another. Each attendee left with a selection of food supplies to take away, pre-made by the group and consisting of items such as tea bags, breakfast cereal, pasta, soup, beans and biscuits. Beneficiaries were local people, especially elderly people, so as to reduce social isolation. £2,469 Barrhead Housing Association - Totnosh, Neilston 6 cooking on a budget sessions delivered to adults in the Neilston Area. These sessions demonstrated to participants how to make healthy low-cost meals, which they are able to take home and eat. The sessions were delivered by Totnosh, in premises which host a new community food initiative ‘Blether’. Whilst at the sessions, participants would also have access to Blether’s community fridge and larder and had the opportunity to find out more about the initiative, hopefully encouraging participants new to Blether, to use this local community facility. £1,800 Lochwinnoch CDT - The Three Churches, Lochwinnoch 12 sessions (2 x 6 weeks) targeted at 2 groups (a) older and vulnerable people, and (b) young families after school. Provision of a warm space and food, alongside opportunities to socialise, make new connections, do homework, listen to music etc, and find out about other local developments and supports in the community. £1,620
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Project Description LAG funding Inverkip Community Initiative - Inverkip Hub, Inverkip Inverkip Community Initiative hosted 4 x free lunches for the local community, mainly targeting the over 50s age group. The lunches were open to all Inverkip Hub groups and local residents from the Inverkip area. They ran from 12.30pm till 2.30pm. Individuals or groups attended on a drop-in basis, with no bookings required. Inverkip Community Hub set up the main hall tables and chairs with the emphasis on social interaction and provided soup and a sandwich for anyone attending. £2,000